


How It Could Have Been

by IsabelNecessaryOnABicycle



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Angst, F/F, F/M, Light Smut, M/M, Romance, Slash, Smut, Smut and Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-07
Updated: 2016-07-04
Packaged: 2018-06-06 22:19:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6772537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsabelNecessaryOnABicycle/pseuds/IsabelNecessaryOnABicycle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU where instead of taking the boys with him on his crusade for Azazel, John Winchester leaves Sam and Dean outside of a kids home. Somehow, the boys end up adopted by ex-hunter Bobby Singer and grow up with no knowledge of the supernatural, or where they truly came from. However, this skews heaven's plans, so they align things in preparation of the apocalypse...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> So this started out as english homework based loosely around the Winchesters and Castiel, until I realised that I really like it and would like to continue it here. So, here is the first chapter. If you could leave a comment saying what you think that'd mean so much! Also, with regard to the medical knowledge, I have no idea how a hospital would actually respond so don't quote me, and don't hate on me for not knowing! Enjoy!  
> (Also, if any of you have suggestions or idea's of where the story could go, please feel free to comment and i will give you credit. I'm sorta just writing it as i go along.)

It was the slowest day of the week, with every hour, every minute dragging on as if someone’d filled the clocks treacle. The silence consumed Sam’s thoughts, like TV static. Relentless. He glanced up at the clock that had been ticking so sluggishly. Each tick interrupting his thoughts and reminding him that yet another second had passed; and still no news of his brother. 10:39. All his friends would be at that lecture that he had so desperately been thinking of any excuse to get out of. But not now. Now he would do anything… everything to be in that lecture. Anywhere but here, anything but now. He tried to recount the previous night. Dean had been drunk - he knew that. And Lisa had been angry. He remembered Dean getting into the impala, and Sam had followed, in an attempt to stop him doing anything stupid,  
“Hah!” a bitter laugh escaped the back of Sam’s throat. Like that was even an option once Dean had started drinking. Dean had turned the key, switched on the lights, and revved up the engine. Music blared from when Dean had last been in the car. ACDC? Dean had drunkenly sung along to ‘Highway to Hell’. _Oh god, if only he’d known._  
“Sam Winchester?” Sam glanced up at a female cop. Her hair was short, dark brown, in a pixie cut. “Hi, I’m Sheriff Jody Mills. I’d like to ask you some questions about the car crash you were in last night.”  
“Oh - yeah, sure.”  
“If you’d like to follow me.” Sam stood with a sigh and followed the sheriff out of the hallway and into a small dark room that was empty apart from a petite brunette nurse who was on her phone.  
“Oh sorry Jody, I’ll just leave.”  
“Thanks Tess.” The door swung shut and, once again, silence filled Sam’s head. “Ugh, let’s put these lights on, shall we? Please take a seat.” Sam sat down on a small plastic chair across a table from another small plastic chair in the now (too) bright room. The whole thing felt like preschool. The sheriff sat down opposite him and took out a small black notepad and a biro.  
“So, Mr Winchester-"  
“Sam.”  
 “Okay, Sam, could you please tell me what happened after your brother got in the car?” Sam sighed, his eyelids felt like they had weights pulling them closed. “He got in, he was angry, he’d had a beer or two, so I got in after him. I dunno - maybe I hoped I could stop him doing something stupid.” Sam felt the laugh bubble up again in the pit of his stomach, but this time it didn’t surface.  
“What happened next?” Sam looked up at the sheriff and saw her properly for the first time, she had a pixie face to match her pixie hair. But she had a certain strength behind her eyes, and maybe something else… sorrow?  
“He started to drive. He got onto the highway. You know, open road. It’s always where his head feels clearest. Even travelling at 70 mph, it makes him feel calm. We talked. He’d just had an argument with his girlfriend, you see. I got him to pull over and we talked some more. By the time we’d finished he was completely sober. He pulled out into the road, and - " Silence. Sam had completely lost his voice in the back of his throat.  
“What happened then, Sam?” Jodie’s voice was soft. Kind. Maternal Not that Sam would truly know what that was.  
“I - I don’t… remember. Why don’t I remember?”  
“You remember that nurse who was in the room when we came in?”  
“Yeah?”   
“Well, her name’s Tessa. She tried to examine you when you came into hospital, but she said you wouldn’t let her until you’d seen that your brother was safe.” Sam had a vague memory of some woman trying to boycott him. But he wasn’t going to leave Dean. Ever. “She said that - from the way that you were behaving - you probably have a concussion. And you may have a little amnesia. Sam, you need to let her examine you.”  
“Sheriff Mills,”  
“Please, call me Jody.”  
“Jody, what happened next?”   
“Someone ran you and your brother off the road.”  
“Who?”  
“We don’t know. It looks like a hit and run.”  
“Bastard!” Muttered Sam under his breath. “Who called the ambulance, then?”  
“A Mr Charles Shurley." She said, reading off a sheet of paper, "He was just sitting at the side of the road when he heard the collision and went to investigate. Seems that you have someone watching over you.”  
“Yeah. Sure. Especially when that car hit us.”  
“Sam,” Sam looked into her deep brown eyes, _yes, it was sorrow,_ “Sam, I’m so sorry. We will try our best to find who did this.” Sam nodded, but avoided eye contact. “Now, please let Tessa check over you.”  
Sam sighed again, the weights on his eyes seemed to be getting heavier. “Yeah, okay.”  
They left the room, Jody held the door open for Sam as he stepped into the hallway that smelt of disinfectant and bleach. Tessa was leaning up against the wall, still on her phone, one foot on the wall.  
“Tessa,” she glanced up, “do you think you could check on Sam’s concussion?”  
“Hmm, yeah sure. Follow me.”  
“Thank you.” Said Sam, looking once again into those brown eyes. He really did mean it.

 

“Okay, if you could just sit up on the table for me.” Sam perched on the green examining table as Tessa sat down on a blue spinny chair. “How do you feel?”  
“Tired, nauseous,”  
“Do you remember the whole incident?”  
“No.”  
 “Do bright lights hurt?”  
“A bit.”  
“Are you seeing double, or blurry?”   
“No. It was a bit blurry earlier but now it’s fine.”  
“Okay, it seems you just have a minor concussion. Nothing to worry about. Just try to get some sleep. We'll find a bed for you.”  
“What about Dean?” Sam finally regurgitated the question that had been on the tip of his tongue for 4 hours.  
Tessa exhaled slowly. “I’m one of the nurses that is working with Dr. Novak on trying to get Dean better. But Sam, he is a comatose patient. You need to be prepared for the worst.”  
“Are you saying he’s going to die?”  
“Not indefinitely. But, Sam, I’m sorry but many people do not wake up from comas.”  
“No you’re wrong. Dean will be fine. He’s not gonna leave me alone out here.”  
And with that, Sam left the room.

 

Sam paced up and down next to the payphone. His own had been smashed in the crash. Biting his lip, he picked up the phone and slotted a dime into the coin hole. He typed in that number that he must’ve keyed into various phones a hundred times over the past four years. But this time he did something different. This time he pressed ring. The rings took too long. Each one was prolonged about 8 seconds longer than it should’ve been. Finally, it stopped. A husky southern accent answered.  
“Hello? Anybody there? Rufus if this is you, I swear to god -" the voice growled.  
“No, it’s - it’s me.”  
“Sam?”  
“Hi Bobby.”  
“Sam, why’re yeh callin’ me? I thought you ‘nd Dean had made it very clear that yeh didn’ wanna hear from me again.”  
“Bobby, I’m so sorry.” Silent tears poured down Sam’s face. Tears that Bobby would never know of. “That - that was all my fault. I shouldn’t’ve let Dean do that to you.”  
“Sam, what’s wrong?” He knew. Of course he knew; he was Bobby. Bobby always knew when something was wrong with Sam. He could read those boys better than one of his creepy old books.  
“It’s Dean.”  
“What’s the idjit done now?”  
“He was in a car crash. Bobby, he’s in a coma. It’s really serious.”  
“Crap.” Silence. “Where is he?”  
“Bobby?”   
“Sam, where is he?”  
“Umm,” Sam wiped his nose on his sleeve and looked up at the sign behind the payphone. “Sioux Falls General.”  
“I’ll be there in 40 minutes.”  
“Bobby, you live an hour away.”  
“I’ll be there in 40 minutes.”

 

The next 40 minutes went by even slower. The treacle in the clocks seemed to have hardened. Sam still wasn’t allowed to go see Dean. He could feel his pulse at the back of his head and hear it in his ears, and his hands wouldn't stop sweating. What felt like 4 hours later, Bobby ran into the hall. He looked just like how Sam remembered him. White beard as thick as a carpet, beer belly under a grey t-shirt, under a plaid shirt. And that hat. That old, sweat, alcohol, and probably blood, stained hat. Sam wasn’t even sure that should be allowed in a hospital. But the look of concern and terror in his eyes. That was new. He ran up to Sam and embraced him like a son. Which, Sam reminded himself, he basically was. Even though Sam was at least half a foot taller than Bobby, when Bobby held him like that, Sam felt like he was eight years old again. Bobby was his father again.  
“How is he?”  
“I don’t know. They wouldn’t let me see him.”  
“You haven’ seen him?”  
“No.” Tears welled in Sam’s eyes.  
“Do you know what room he’s in?”  
Sam swallowed heavily. “Yeah he’s downstairs.”  
“Come on.” Bobby led Sam to the elevator and pressed the down button. In no time at all, Sam had led the way to the hallway where Dean’s room was. Tessa, the nurse, was sitting outside, on her phone, again. But she stood up at the sight of the angry stampede that was Bobby, bulldozing his way towards her.  
“I want to see Dean.”  
“Are you a relation of his?”  
“I’m his father.”  
“I was under the impression that the identity of Dean’s father was unknown.”  
“Well, I’m his guardian then.”  
“Dean is 26. He has no legal guardian.” Bobby started forwards towards the door. “Sir, I really must stop you there. It’s ill advised to see him now. He’s in no state for visitors. I may have to call security if this gets out of hand.”  
“Listen lady, you ain’ gonna do jack to stop me seeing my son.” As Sam stood there listening to Bobby and Tessa argue he was forced to remember that he was a 6’4”, muscular man who, in theory could’ve done this himself. And yet - he was so glad that Bobby was here to do it for him.  
Just then, the door clicked open and out stepped a skinny, young man, in dark blue scrubs and a long white coat. He had a round face, messy dark hair, and a strong brow. He was quite good looking, Sam supposed. But, by far, the most striking thing about him were his eyes. They were the deepest electric blue.  
“Doctor Novak, I was just showing these visitors out.”  
“Doctor Novak, I want to see my son.” Bobby ignored Tessa’s previous comment and addressed this supposed ‘Doctor Novak’.  
“Hello,” his voice was low, calming and authoritative, “My Name is Doctor Castiel Novak. I’ve been working on your son, Mr -?”   
“Singer. Bobby Singer.”  
“Mr Singer. You’re not Dean’s paternal father, are you?”  
“No,” said Bobby, straightening up a little, “But what’s that got to do with it?”  
“Nothing.” Replied the doctor, apparently unaware of this confrontation. “Dean’s Medical records didn’t say anything about his maternal and paternal parents. Do you have any new information about them?”  
“No,” answered Bobby, truthfully. “they were found outside a kids care home. Dean was holdin’ Sam in his arms.”  
“So you are his brother?” Doctor Novak asked, turning to Sam. Sam nodded. “You share his DNA?”  
“I suppose so.”  
“Where is this goin’?” Asked Bobby, an undertone of suspicion and concern in his gravelly voice.  
“There have been some… Complications.” For the first time, Doctor Novak seemed uncertain, Sam would even venture to say that he was scared.  
“What?” Growled Bobby.  
“When your car was hit,” Doctor Novak was now addressing Sam, “Dean wasn’t just knocked out and bruised a bit. The force that his head hit the steering wheel at caused some trauma. And… there was some internal bleeding within the brain and also in the lower abdomen. He’s going to need a new kidney.” Bobby inhaled sharply but Sam remained calm, grounded. “There are certain steps we can take to try and help him wake up but there is no point until he has a new kidney. I’m sorry Sam, but because you're almost a genetic match, your kidney would be Dean’s best bet. I understand that this is a very tough decision to make, and I would like to say ‘take all the time you need’, but the longer Dean is comatosed, the harder it’ll be to wake him.”  
“Take it.” Exclaimed Sam immediately. “Now! Let’s go!” Urgency was pounding through his blood, a fire to feed his sense of vitality.  
“Hang on, Sam,” said Bobby, holding out a hand in front of Sam, “What steps?”  
“We can put steroids and stimulants in his blood in the hope that it’ll boost his metabolism.”  
“ _In the hope?_ ” Replied Bobby.  
“It’s a tried and tested method, and it has worked before. But it often depends more on the patient than the treatment. I’m sorry I can’t offer you something more solid.” Bobby stared into Doctor Novak’s eyes, squinting, apparently looking for some sign of deception. After looking for a couple of seconds, and sensing nothing, Bobby seemed satisfied. He turned to Sam and slowly nodded.  
“Okay,” said Sam, “let’s do this.”

 

“Will you be operating on me?” Sam asked Doctor Novak, as he signed the paper work.  
“No, I’m not a surgeon,” Replied the doctor, “But I know the guy who is and I can assure you, he’s very skilled.”  
“Okay.”   
“Oh, that’s him now.” A short man with a long face, and golden-brown longish hair, strode into the room. He too was wearing navy scrubs and a long white coat, but the sleeves of his were evidently slightly long, so had been rolled up at the wrists.  
“Hello, I’m Gabriel Betrüger.” He said, holding out his hand to Sam. Sam took it.  
“German, huh?”  
“Yeah, something like that.” He said nodding towards Bobby who’s eyes were narrow, apparently suspicious of the newcomer. He seemed nice enough to Sam. But his jokey nature told Sam that he was hiding something. _Probably Daddy issues. It’s always that with these high achieving types._ Thought Sam to himself.  
“So, what is it I’m taking from you, again? Heart or left lung?"  _Oh great! A lunatic with a scalpel is about to knock me out and cut me up._  
“Gabe.” Said Doctor Novak impatiently.  
“Oh! That’s it! Small intestine, right?"  
“Gabe!” Said Doctor Novak more sternly now, his voice raised.  
“Sorry, sorry! Just a joke. Right, follow me then!” Apparently Doctor Novak had some authority.  
Sam turned to Bobby, just before leaving the room, and whispered “If he kills me, kill him!”  
Bobby’s weak smile saw Sam out of the room.


	2. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter!!  
> Most of the content of the book came from SuperWiki, so credit to them. Also, I am aware that Bobby is becoming increasingly more like Hagrid. Please leave a comment. Enjoy!

Sam woke up and stepped out into the hallway of the busy hospital. Dean was there! He seemed okay.  
“Hey! Dean!”   
“Huh?” Dean turned his head and Sam could almost count his freckles.  
“Dean! You're okay?”  
“What?! Of course I’m okay! What do you mean?”  
“Well, you were in a -“  
“A what, Sam?” Dean was getting impatient.  
“Uh - nothing. Never mind” _Of course that didn’t happen. What was he thinking?_  
“Well alright then.” Dean looked around at his surroundings, apparently puzzled, “What the hell?” But Sam didn’t hear him, Sam was too busy looking at the sign bearing the hospital name ‘Seattle Mercy Hospital’. He was sure he recognised that name from somewhere.  
“Sammy! Get your head, in the game, man!”  
“What? Oh yeah. Dean, why are we - ?”  
“The Trickster, man! Seriously! What has gotten into you?” _Oh, right, the Trickster. They were gonna ask him for help with - help with what?_ Sam would’ve asked Dean, but his brother seemed pissed right now and he didn't want to test Dean’s limits.  
Suddenly, everything was different. All the people who had been walking around the hospital, were still. Sam felt like something else had happened before this, but it had all happened so fast, he couldn’t remember. However, his cheek was stinging.  
“Hey boys, havin’ fun yet?” Sam spun round, looking for the source of the noise. _That German doctor? No! No, it was the trickster! God dammit Sam!_  
“Get us the hell out of here.” Growled Dean.  
“Or what?”  
All of a sudden, Sam was in a game show. No, a motel. Well now he couldn’t see anything. Then Doctor Novak was there. But he wasn’t wearing the white coat, but rather a tan-beige coloured one.  
“Sam, Dean, are you okay?” There was something unnatural about the way he behaved. Sort of awkward.  
“Sam? Sam!” Sam opened his eyes and stared groggily into the light. There was something in it. A face? It was that one he’d just heard talking.  
“Oh god!” Sam jumped a little.  
“Hey, sorry Sam,” said Doctor Novak, leaning back on his chair a little. “didn’t mean to startle you. How do you feel?”  
“Umm, okay, I guess. Where - where am I?”  
Doctor Novak chuckled. “You’re in Sioux Falls General, Sam, you’ve just had your kidney taken out. My name is Doctor Castiel Novak.”  
“My kidney!” Exclaimed Sam, suddenly remembering. “How did it go?”  
“Good. The procedure was simple and with no complications. Dean is in the operating theatre now.”  
“Doctor Novak,”  
“You can call me Castiel. We may have to be acquainted for some time.”  
“What does that mean?”  
“Dean…” he paused, avoiding eye contact with Sam, “may be in hospital for some time.”  
“He’s not gonna die!” Sam’s voice was raised, it was more to reassure himself than to correct the doctor. “Dean’s stronger than you know.”  
“I’m sure Dean is a very strong young man and I will do everything in my power - “  
“Everything?” Interrupted Sam,  
“Everything.” Replied Castiel. His eyes making contact with Sam’s. For a second Sam thought he saw them flash a brighter blue. But he didn’t know. What he did know, was that Castiel would do everything in his power to save Dean.

 

Bobby came to see Sam later. Sat beside Sam’s bed, they talked like that hadn’t in years.  
“How have you been, Sam?”  
“I’m alright. I’m at college.”  
“College, huh?”  
“Yeah. Actually, I’ve got an interview for Stanford soon.”  
“Hey, tha’s great! Yer finally doin’ wha’ yeh always wanned to!”  
“Yeah.” Said Sam, smiling weakly. “So what are you up to, Bobby?”  
“You know me. Same old, same old.”  
“Car business still going?”  
“Hmm, slowly.” Nodded Bobby  
“You finally told Ellen you’re in love with her?”  
“Bastard! Where’d you get tha’ bloody idea from?”  
“Bobby, it’s so obvious, you might as well had it tattooed on your face.”  
“Argh, crap! Really that obvious, huh?”  
“More so.”  
“Balls.”  
They sat in silence for a moment before Sam said,  
“Bobby, you gotta tell her.”  
“Don’t tell me what to do, ya idjit.”  
Sam smiled and leaned back in his bed. The last rays of the evening sun were streaming in through the slatted blinds. Landing on the floor in zebra stripes. One illuminated a murky green duffel bag at Bobby’s feet. Out of the bag poked a wooden triangle that looked like it was attached to something in the bag.  
Sam sat up, suddenly awake, “Bobby, is that a shotgun?” There was urgency in his voice. _What the hell had possessed Bobby to make him bring a shotgun to a hospital?_  
“Uh, no, Sam. It’s nothing. Nothing you need to worry about.” Bobby pushed the shotgun further into his bag with his boot-clad foot. “Uh, I gotta go, Sam. Sorry.”  
As Bobby hurried out the room, Sam distinctly thought he heard him mutter “Balls!” once out the door.  
_What the hell was Bobby doing?_

 

It had been a month since Sam and Bobby’s conversation concerning the shotgun had occurred, and still, Dean slept. Sam would go visit him every day. Taking him stories of his time at Bobby’s, where Sam was now staying. Sometimes Sam would go in there with a tape player and the box of cassettes from the impala. He would sit there, playing Dean his favourite music, in the hope that it would have some effect. But, alas, no. Lisa had gone to visit Dean too. She would just sit there, silently crying. Sam wanted to comfort her during these sessions, but something about her stopped him. Ellen and Jo, who Sam hadn’t seen since he was a kid, even visited a couple of times. But nothing seemed to have any effect.  
Over the past month, Sam and Bobby had built quite a relationship with Castiel. He was more help than Sam could’ve possibly foreseen. Like some sort of guardian angel.

 

It was a Sunday. The sort of Sunday that drags on forever. With nothing happening. Except, Bobby was up to something. Sam knew it. Bobby was a recluse at heart, but when Sam was there he would always come out of his shell a little. But not now. Now he would shut himself away in his room for hours at an end. At first, Sam put it to grief for Dean, but this seemed different. Rather than drinking away his problems, like Bobby would’ve normally done, he seemed even more concentrated than usual. Also, Sam noticed that Bobby would often take one of the creepy leather-bound books up to his room too. Sam didn’t know what was in these books. He’d never been allowed to touch them as a kid. And the one time he had… There was some dark crap in there. By the time Bobby had found him, he’d had enough.  
Sam chuckled to himself. _Jeez, after Bobby found me with that book… That’s a bollocking I’ll never forget._  
But this time, Sam was determined to find out what Bobby was up to. Regardless of the bollocking he’d receive. So, when Bobby went out on a beer run that afternoon, Sam snuck into his room. Sam hadn’t been in Bobby’s room many times before. The wallpaper was the same maroon floral pattern from downstairs. The curtains were drawn so the room was in darkness. There was a dusty carpet in the middle of the room that was covered in books. There was an unmade double bed with a black metal frame in the corner, next to it stood a bedside table with faded white paint that was peeling off. On it, a lamp, a half drunk bottle of whiskey, and another old book. The room smelt musky, like a mixture of whiskey and dust. Sam strode over the bed and clicked on the lamp. It made a buzzing noise for a couple of seconds before reluctantly turning on. The yellow light fell onto the book beside it.  
The words ‘Daemon Agit’ were written at the top of the page underneath an intricately drawn pentagram. _What the hell, Bobby?_ Sam picked up the book and began to read.

_**Daemon Agit** _

_**Daemon Exitibus - The Crossroads Demon** _  
_**This particular demon is given many strengths. Purely evil, the demon also loves to play on people’s emotions, making them feel extreme guilt and fear. Its main purpose of existence is to trade souls in exchange for a persons wish. A person will be given 10 years before the demon will come to claim the person’s soul to hell for an eternity.** _

_**Vocas Carmen - Summoning Spell** _  
_**In order to summon a Crossroads Demon, one must find a crossroads. Dig a hole in the dead centre. Place a box in the hole with the following items inside:** _  
_**\- Graveyard Dirt** _  
_**\- Black Cat Bones** _  
_**\- A Yellow Flower** _  
_**\- Your Own Photo** _  
_**After everything is in place, chant repeatedly until the demon appears:** _  
_**Inferiorum facere homo** _  
_**scelestus Animal ex mors** _  
_**Flamma velle capere tuus** _  
_**Admodum spiritus** _  
_**Everto of Quadrivium EGO** _  
_**citatus you. I votum** _  
_**paciscor quod willafree ut** _  
_**ullus terms cos add ut me** _  
_**Spirit ostend vestri iam!** _

_What the hell?_ Sam turned the page and fell onto a page labelled

_**Satanica As Mortem** _

_**As Demons are already dead, there is only one known way to kill them; by using a gun made by Samuel Colt in 1835. This gun is said to be able to kill anything. However, there is no definitive proof that ‘The Colt’ ever existed, and if it did, it’s whereabouts are now unknown.** _  
_**But there are other ways to banish a demon. Exorcism is the most tried and tested method. The safest thing to do would be to trap the demon, and then exorcise it.** _

_**Laqueum Diaboli - Devil’s Traps** _  
_**There are several ways to trap a demon. The easiest, yet least secure confinement for a demon is a circle of salt around the demon. However, it would be hard to get a demon to step inside the circle, and the salt may blow away. The more foolproof way would be to draw a ‘Devil’s Trap’.** _  
_**The Devil’s Trap is a mystical symbol used to immobilise and control demons. It is similar to a circle of salt but more powerful and persistent. A demon cannot sense a Devil’s Trap, but once inside, it cannot leave and it’s powers are useless.** _  
_**There are three types of known Devil’s traps, The Grand Pentacle, The Fifth Pentacle of Mars, and The Pentagram.** _

Under each ‘Devil’s Trap’ there was a different intricately drawn variation on a pentagram.  
_What the hell?_ Thought Sam again.

 _**Once you have Trapped the demon, you may use salt and holy water to torture it, and then exorcise it.** _  
_**Just read out the latin verses and the demon will be banished to hell.** _

_**Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus,** _  
_**omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica.** _  
_**Ergo, draco maledicte. Ecclesium tuam securi tibi facias libertate servire, te rogamus, audi nos.** _

“Sam?” In the time that Sam had been absorbed by the weird satanism, he hadn’t noticed Bobby return. The door had silently swung open and Bobby was standing in the doorway. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, boy?”  
“Bobby, what is this?” Sam was scared. The man that he had known his whole life, the man that had been his father, the man that knew everything about him. _But what didn't he know about Bobby?_  
“It’s nothin’ Sam, it’s just fiction!”  
“This is what you’ve been locked away doing all this time?” “No Sam! Yer mad!”  
“Bobby, where’ve you been?”  
“On a beer run, yeh know that.”  
“Why are your hands and knees muddy?”  
“I fell over, Sam. You need to calm down, boy!”   
“Is that what you’ve been doing?” Sam could feel hot tears behind his eyes. “Summoning a - a demon?”  
“You’re deluded, boy!”  
“Tell me!”  
Bobby sighed and walked into the room. He knelt down and pulled out a loose floorboard. Reaching down, he pulled out a small wooden box which he set down on the bed and opened. Inside were several photographs and letters. Bobby rooted around the box for a few seconds, mumbling to himself, before pulling out a photograph of himself and a young man with black hair who looked vaguely familiar.  
“Tha’s yer Dad, Sam.” Sam felt a still within himself and a ringing in his ears.  
“My what?”  
“Yer Dad.”  
“You told me you didn’t know who my Dad was.”  
“I’m sorry, Sam. I lied.” There were tears in the old man’s eyes.  
“Why?” There were tears in Sam’s eyes too now.  
“Because I didn’t yeh to hate me.”  
“Bobby, I could never hate you.” All the anger in Sam’s heart had left at the sight of the old man’s pain.  
“And I didn’t want to expose yeh and yer brother to wha’s out there.”  
“Demons?”  
“An’ more. Sam. I’m gonna tell yeh the truth, an’ I need yeh to listen. Please?”  
“Okay.” Replied Sam. Desperate to hear the truth.  
“I was married once. She was beautiful. Mos’ beautiful woman you’d ever seen. But one day, she came home. And she was different, Sam. She’d… changed. She was violent. She tried to kill me. An’ - an’ so… I took a knife, an’ I stabbed her. I killed her, Sam.” Bobby looked up into Sam’s eyes and Sam no longer saw the tough old man who’d raised him, but a scared little boy. Bobby sniffed. “But tha’ didn’t stop her. An’ then Rufus turned up and said some stuff in Latin an’ tha’ thing left her. But she was dead, Sam. After that I travelled around with Rufus for a while, huntin’ things. Then I met a hunter, by the name of John Winchester. He said he was lookin’ for a certain demon that’d killed his wife an’ burnt down his son’s nursery. We worked a rugaru case together - born human, then, round 30 they start eatin’ folks.” Said Bobby, at Sam’s quizzical look.  
“Eww! Too much information, Bobby!”  
“Well yeh asked! Anyway, after the hunt, we were havin’ a drink an’ I asked him where his boys were, an’ he said he didn’ know. Left yeh outside an orphanage in Kansas. Didn’ want yeh slowing down his huntin’.” There was a look of the deepest disgust on Bobby’s face. “So I put out an APB to some local hunters but they said tha’ you’d been moved. Took a couple of years ter track you two down, had a team of hunters lookin’ out for you. But when I did, it took a couple of months, and a shave, to convince social services tha’ I’d be a responsible father. But finally, you two had the closest thing that I could give yeh to the home yeh deserved. I gave up huntin’ after that but I’d still help hunters out with the lore an’ connecting them with other hunters. Yer father tried to come over a couple times, but I wouldn’t’ve let him near you. Not until you were old enough to make the decision yerself. Suppose I put it off for a bit, huh?”  
Sam was shocked. All these questions he’d been asking himself for years were finally answered. “So my Dad knew you’d adopted us?”  
“No. I didn’t tell anyone who’s kids you really were.”  
“So why stop him coming near us?”  
“In case he recognised you and tried to take you back. I’m sorry Sam. I know it’s selfish, but I couldn’t trust him with you.”  
“Bobby,” both men were crying now, “it’s okay.”  
Sam wrapped his arms around Bobby and held his shaking father.


	3. Sammy's Got a Crush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the 3rd chapter of How It Could Have Been. Thank you so much to the two people who left kudos and the one person who bookmarked it! (This may sound sarcastic but it's really not) It really means a lot. Please comment if you like it.  
> Enjoy!

Over the next few days, Sam tried to uncover everything he could about his past.  
“Bobby, what do you know about my Mom?”  
“Not a lot. Her name was Mary, she was killed on the day that you turned 6 months... Nothing else. I’m sorry Sam.”  
“Mary.” Sam repeated to himself, smiling. “Mary.” And for a second, he stopped to imagine a beautiful woman holding a smiling baby. Both were laughing. She was blonde. He didn’t quite know why, because neither he nor Dean were particularly blond. But it seemed right.  
“Hey, Bobby!”  
“Hmm?” Responded Bobby, not looking up from the car he was working on. Sam was sitting on the hood of another one in the hot-July sun.  
“Was it the exact day that I turned 6 months?”  
“I think so,” Replied Bobby, apprehensively. Looking up from the car.  
“Do you think that’s got anything to do with it? I mean, you said demons are smart - scheming. Do you think that this demon planned it?”    
“I don’t know, Sam.” His brow was heavy with thought. “It might’ve. I reckon you’d have to ask your Daddy.” They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before Bobby broke it, “Sam, I was thinkin’ - "  
“That’s a change.”  
“Shut up, ya idjit, I’m tryin’ to say somethin’. I was thinkin’,” Sam had to bite back the retort for a second time. “Do you wanna contact him, John? I’ve probably got a number for him somewhere, an’ I reckon, if you wan’ to, you should meet him.”  
Sam inhaled slowly. “I don’t know Bobby. I mean, part of me does. Part of me really does. But, this is the guy who left Dean and me outside an orphanage in Kansas with nothing but a name-tag saying Winchester on it. So, part of me just wants to beat him up.”  
Bobby nodded with approval.  
“I’m gonna wait for Dean before I do anything though.”  
“Sam, what if Dean does-“  
“He will, Bobby. Dean’ll wake up and he’ll be just fine.”  
“Look, Sam, I don’t wanna think about it anymore than you-“  
“I can hear the phone ringing.” And with that, Sam left and went inside.  
“Balls!”

 

Sam walked into the cool kitchen of Bobby’s house. Hot blood rushing around his body, fuelled by his anger at Bobby, and fear that what everyone was telling him would come true; that Dean wouldn’t wake up. _No! Don’t even think about that._ He picked up the phone that, in truth, had been ringing persistently.  
“What?!”  
“Umm, Sam? Sorry, is this a bad time? It’s Sheriff Jody Mills, we spoke about the car crash you and your brother were in.”  
“Yeah, yeah,” Replied Sam, regretting his earlier outburst, his hand massaging his forehead, “Umm, sorry Jody. What - what can I do for you?”  
“Well, it’s more about what I can do for you, Sam.”  
“What’s that?” Asked Sam, his interests sparked.  
“We think we’ve found him.”  
“Who?”  “The guy that hit you.”  
Excitement was now fuelling the hot flow of blood, “Really?”  
“Yeah, his name is Russell Wellington; he was caught on speed camera just 20 yards away from where you and your brother were hit; there were indentations on his car in the footage; since then, he’s bought a new car; and, best part, looks like his got out of this sort of thing before.”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah, some girl’s been trying press charges against him since she was a kid, but no one’s ever taken her seriously.”  
“Crap.”  
“Yeah.”  
“So, what happens next? Do we take him to court?”  
“Yeah. The state’s gonna set you up with a lawyer but it may take a couple of weeks.”  
“Okay. Keep me posted.”  
“Sure thing.”

 

The next day, when Sam went to visit Dean, he took ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ and played it in the background as he told Dean the good news. Half way through ‘When the Levee Breaks’, Doctor Novak walked in,  
“Good song.” Smiled Castiel.  
“Dean thinks so.” Replied Sam, smiling back. “How is he?”    
“He’s making progress. He seems to be responding well to the new kidney.”  
“That’s good.” Sam felt under his shirt to touch the incision on his stomach. It didn’t even hurt anymore.  
“But Sam, Dean may no-”  
“I don’t need to hear it, Castiel. Tessa won’t shut up about it. Bobby keeps reminding me. They won’t let me forget. I just need at least one person to stay optimistic about Dean. Please?”  
Castiel looked down at Sam, who was giving him puppy eyes. How anyone could say no to those eyes, Castiel didn’t know.  
“Okay, Sam.” Responded Castiel nodding. They sat there in silence for a couple of moments. The music had stopped.  
“Did you hear the news?” Asked Sam, breaking the silence.  
“What news?” Castiel had the look of a bemused kitten on his face.  
“They’ve caught the guy who hit us.”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah. Well, they think so. He fits.”  
“Sam, that’s great!” Castiel’s smile was infectious.  
“Yeah.” Sighed Sam, smiling tiredly.  
“Sam what’s the matter?”  
Sam paused, contemplating whether to give in or not. _I can trust Castiel._ He sighed “Everyone says he’s gonna die. Castiel, what if he does? I can’t do this without my brother! He’s the only one I’ve had my whole life.” Tears were flowing down Sam’s cheek. Weeks of repressed emotions were pouring out of him. Castiel reached over and put a hand on Sam’s shoulder.  
“Sam, I promised I would do everything in my power to save Dean. I am doing that. As long as Dean does his part, as long as Dean truly wants to be saved, he will come back.”  
“He does.”  
“Then I will continue to do everything I can.” His eyes met Sam’s. “For Dean.”  
“For Dean.” Replied Sam.

 

As Sam left the hospital, the residue of tears still on his face, he heard his new cellphone ringing, and he answered.  
“Hello?”  
“Sam?”  
“Jess?” _What the hell?_ Why was his roommate ringing him? “Why are you ringing?”  
“Well,” she sounded nervous, “I was wondering where you were, so I asked Luis, and he said that apparently you and your brother had been in a car crash, and he gave me this number, and I just wanted to check if you were all right.”  
“Umm, yeah, I’m all right.” He replied, surprised at her kindness. He’d barely even held a conversation with her before, but she had seemed sweet. “My brother’s not though.” She gasped. “He’s in hospital. He hasn’t woken up since the crash.”  
“Oh god, I’m so sorry, Sam.” There was genuine concern in her voice. “Is - is there anything I can do to help? I could come and visit maybe?”  
“Yeah,” Said Sam, after a moments thought. “Yeah, that’d be nice. Thank you, Jess.”

 

Jess arrived the next Tuesday. Sam picked her up from the station. She was pretty, with cascading waves of blonde hair that shook when she laughed. And grey-blue eyes that Sam was sure could put out any fire.  
“Cool car.” She smiled when she caught sight of the Impala.  
“Thanks.” Replied Sam, grinning for what felt like the first time in weeks.  
“How come I’ve never seen it before?”  
“Dean’s normally got custody of her.” Said Sam, getting in. It was weird being in the Impala without Dean.  
“Oh, so she’s a lady?”  
“Oh yeah.” Laughed Sam, “Dean’s _very_ possessive. Calls her ‘Baby’.”  
Jess laughed. Sam noticed that there seemed to be some sort of light radiating from her when she smiled. She _was_ pretty.  
The drive wasn’t long, but it was made shorter by Jess’s presence.  
When they arrived back at ‘Singer’s Auto’ Bobby was in the study reading one of his old books with a beer in hand.  
“Bobby?”  
“Huh?” Said Bobby, not looking up.  
“This is Jess.”  
“Oh,” Bobby looked up and smiled at Jess. He stood up and held out his hand. “Hello Jess.”  
“Jess, this is Bobby, my Dad.” Jess took Bobby’s hand and shook it.  
“Adoptive.” Added Bobby.  
“Do you not want to be related to me?”  
Jess laughed.  
“Not really.”  
Jess laughed again.

 

Dinner that night was lovely. Jess’s presence brought new life to the Singer house. They laughed and discussed Sam’s most embarrassing moments; much to Sam’s dismay.  
“So then, instead of just telling the teacher it’s a lie, he has to talk in a Russian accent for the rest of the year!” Jess was gulping for air as she laughed a Bobby’s frankly, in Sam’s opinion, horrific, choice of story.  
That night, after had Bobby had gone to bed, Sam and Jess were sitting on a car hood, looking up at the stars and exchanging more embarrassing childhood stories, when Jess asked Sam about his parents.  
“I didn’t know them.” Replied Sam, “Bobby knew my Dad, briefly. They worked together. His name was John. He told Bobby that he had had two young sons, who he’d left outside a kids care home in Kansas. I guess that’s where I’m from. After Bobby found out about us, he decided to track us down. Took him a couple of years. We were moved around quite a bit, you see. Dean couldn’t stop getting in fights with the other kids.” Sam smiled.  
“Why did he leave you?” Asked Jess.  
“My Mom, she died when I was six months. She was killed, murdered. In the house.” Jess gasped. “After she was killed he became obsessed with finding the thin- the man that killed her.”  
“Couldn’t he leave that to the police?”  
Sam paused, contemplating how much to tell her. He wasn’t even sure why he’d told her so much already, but he just trusted her. “This person, that killed my mom, has a very specific… way of killing. One that the police may not understand so much about. But, according to Bobby, my Dad had done his research and was… equipped to fight this sort of thing. This sort of person.” He said, correcting his mistake.  
“Sam, I’m so sorry.” Silence fell again. But it wasn’t awkward. There was nothing awkward about Jess at all, she was… perfect. Suddenly, Sam was kissing her, their faces rubbing together. He could feel her warm wet tongue in his mouth as he ran his fingers through her hair. Sam wanted to kiss her, he wanted to kiss her everywhere. He sucked on her neck and he could hear her moaning and giggling.  
“Inside.” He said as he picked her up.  
“Right here.” She replied as he put her down and she led the way to a newish looking land rover with a big trunk.  
“Oh my god, you’re so beautiful.” Said Sam as she got in. She smiled as he clambered in next to her. She could feel his hands all over his body, rough yet soft. He took of his shirt and he was surprisingly muscular. He pulled off her trousers and then his own. She pulled off her panties and got back to kissing him. They paused only for her to pull off her shirt and bra as he pulled off his underwear. They were both naked and attached at the mouth. Their tongues intertwined, their hands pulling each other's hair. Then, his mouth left hers, and kissed her chin; then her jaw; her neck; her collarbone; stopping, to pay particular attention to her breasts; then, down her stomach, his tongue finding the crevasse in her navel, but continuing downwards until it found its home at her labia. His tongue slipped inside her and she let out a moan as it began to stimulate her clitoris. Around and around. She could feel it all over, within herself, in the pit of her stomach, in her chest, right down to her toes. Then, his tongue left her, but his fingers slipped in and he began to kiss her again. Both were moaning and sighing. Jess felt Sam adjusting something, and then he slipped inside her.  
“Sam!” She gasped and he moaned in response. The time seemed to go slowly with Sam. When they finished, Jess fell asleep in Sam’s arms. But Sam couldn’t sleep. He felt as if his feelings for Jess were firing him to stay awake.  
“Jess?”  
“Hmm?”  
“I love you.”  
Jess looked up at him, she seemed to be contemplating something,  
“What?” Laughed Sam  
“Yes, I suppose I love you too.” Jess grinned up at him.  
Sam squeezed her tight and soon fell asleep, a smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I hope you enjoyed the smut. I'm sorry if it was terrible, this is the first sex-scene I've written. Also, sorry for the slight POV change during that chapter. I felt, as girl, that I was more equipped to tell it from Jess's POV. Oh, and was the bit about Jess's eyes a bit cruel? Please leave a comment. Thank you!!!!


	4. A Family Meal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the smut in the last chapter. Turns out I'm not as horrifically awful at it as I initially thought I would be. If you want me to write more, please comment. If you don't want me to write more, please comment!  
> Also, sorry about the mistake with the cellphone if anyone noticed that. I've now fixed it.  
> For anyone who was wondering, I'm just writing this as I go along. (It's probably fairly obvious). I literally have no plan, just a vague idea of where I want it to go. Which, in the long term, is probably a terrible idea, but I HATE planning. So yay for self sabotage!  
> Another thing, if anyone has noticed that I took the 'Major Character Death' off, I kinda just added that for the fun of it. As I've said, I have no planning so I'll just work out if I'm gonna kill anyone as I go on. But this is Supernatural, so someone probably will die. Sorry. However, I solemnly swear to try to refrain from killing Kevin or Charlie (Charlie's gonna be introduced soon, you may've already guessed who she is).  
> One more thing, if anyone is actually following it, I'm really sorry, but the pace that I'm chugging out chapters at isn't going to last. I will continue to write regularly, but probably not at this pace. But I'll try.  
> Anyway, here is the chapter! (This is a nice one)

The next few weeks with Jess were a whirlwind of love and laughter. She was supposed to have gone back the Sunday after she’d arrived, but neither she nor Sam wanted to be separated. So she rang up the college to say that she was ill.  
Jess was so beautiful, and kind, and funny, and smart. Sam couldn’t imagine how he’d lived his life before her. But there was one bitter thing in all this happiness; Dean still had not woken. It had been almost three months, and still, nothing. This terrified Sam much more than the prospect of any demon. He tried not to think about it. He tried, instead, to whittle away the hours with Jess. But even during these blissful moments, Dean’s fatal circumstance still managed to force its way into his head. One good thing other than Jess had come though. Sheriff Mills had rung to say they’d got a lawyer. Sam was to go into town and meet them. So, the next day, he put on a smart shirt, got in the impala, and drove into Sioux Falls. He was going to meet the lawyer at the police station. When he got there, he was greeted by Jody, and a blonde woman with a sweet face and dimples.  
“Hi, I’m deputy Donna Hanscum.”  
“Sam Winchester.” Sam shook her hand.  
Jody then led him through to a back room where a young Asian kid was sitting. He couldn’t have been older than 19.  
“Sam, this is your lawyer, Mr Tran.”  
“Hello Sam,” said Mr Tran, taking Sam’s hand. Sam shook it hurriedly and turned to Sheriff Mills,  
“Jody, could I have a word outside, please?” They left Mr Tran looking confused and a little affronted.  
“What the hell, Jody? Why have we got a kid as our lawyer?”  
“I’m sorry, Sam. It looks like Wellington’s got his claws in deeper than we initially assumed. It seems he’s got contacts within the law firm, whom he’s been bribing, who prevented you from getting a real lawyer.”  
“ _He’s not even a real lawyer?_ ” Exclaimed Sam, outraged.  
“No, he’s too young. He’s only just left school and he’s doing training at the firm before he does his degree at Princeton.”  
Sam sighed.  
“Look Sam, I know this is absolutely crap, but give the kid a go. You never know, he might be great. And you’re studying law, aren’t you? Maybe the two of you together could build a really sold case.  
“Hmm, maybe.” Replied Sam, not convinced, as he stepped back into the room.

 

“So, Mr Winchester,” said Mr Tran, as Sam stepped back into the room.  
“Sam.” Responded Sam.  
“Okay Sam. Well in that case, you can call me Kevin.”  
Sam mumbled in responce.  
“So I’d just like to ask you a few questions. What is your name, occupation, and date of birth?”  
“My name is Sam Winchester, I’m a student, and I was born on May Second, 1983.”  
“Okay, walk me through what happened that night.”  
“Dean had an argument with his girlfriend, he’d drunk a little, he got in the car and I got in after him.”  
“Why?”  
“To try and stop him doing something stupid.” No laugh bubbled this time. Kevin scribbled away on a notepad.  
“Okay, continue.”  
“He got onto the highway, he was driving fast,”  
“Would you say that the driving was reckless?”  
“Not particularly.”  
“Yes or no, Sam.”  
“No.” Responded Sam, sitting up a little.  
“Okay, what happened then?”  
“I got Dean to pull over on the side of the road, we talked until he was sober, then he pulled out to drive home.”  
“What sort of time was this?”  
“Around 2am.”  
“Was Dean definitely sober when he pulled out?”  
“Yes.”  
“Did he have his lights on? Did he signal when he pulled into the road?”  
“Yes to both.”  
“Okay, I think we’ve got something we can work with here.”

 

By the end of their meeting, Sam felt that they had the beginnings of a sold case.  
“Thank you, Kevin.” Said Sam as he left. _Maybe he’d underestimated the kid._  
On the way back, instead of going straight to Bobby’s, Sam decided to stop and tell Dean about Kevin.  
He sat down in his usual chair and just talked. He talked about Jess too.  
"She's beautiful, Dean. And kind. Dean, I love her. I can't wait for you to meet her. You just need to wake up. Come on, man, wake up. Wake up to meet Jess. Dean," Sam inhaled and exhaled slowly, "Dean, I really need you, man. For gods' sake Dean, just wake up! I miss you, Jerk."  
_I miss you too, Bitch._  
Sam dried his eyes and began to talk about Kevin;  
“He’s young, he looks like he’s about 12. But he’s good. I think we’re gonna win this. I just need you to wake up in time, Dean. Please wake up.” Sam stopped. Someone had knocked at the door. He looked up as the door swung open to see a man standing there. He was short, early forties, Sam guessed. he had brown slightly curly hair, and a beard. He was wearing square-framed glasses, a green shirt-like jacket - _something Dean would wear_ \- a t-shirt, jeans, and converse. There was a slight awkwardness about him.  
“Umm, hi,” he said, holding up his hand as a greeting. “You don’t know me, but, umm, I’m the guy who called the ambulance for you and your brother.”  
“Oh, thanks.” Said Sam, looking up at him from where he was sitting. “I’m Sam Winchester. That’s my brother, Dean.” He signalled towards his brother who was wired up to several machines. The guy had flinched when Sam mentioned his name. A sort of involuntary shudder.  
“I’m Chuck, Chuck Shurley. Is - is he gonna be alright?”  
“Yes.” Replied Sam decidedly. “He’s gonna be just fine.”  
There was an awkward silence, in which neither spoke.  
“So what do you do, Chuck?” Asked Sam  
“What? Oh, I’m a writer.”  
“Would I have read anything of yours?”  
“No, probably not. I don’t inspire much of a cult-religious following.”  
“Are you sure there’s nothing I would’ve read? What’s in your bag?” He asked, signalling to what looked like an unpublished book.  
“What? Oh, this is nothing.”  
“Come on, please? At least tell me the name? So I can look out for it when you publish it.”  
Chuck said nothing.  
“Chuck, you saved both mine and my brother’s lives. At least let me do this for you.”  
“Umm, okay,” Chuck seemed a little intimidated by Sam’s persistence.  
“Well, it’s called ‘Supernatural’.”  
“Hmm,”  
“But it’s crap!” He added, “I had to take it to seven different publishers before anyone would even think about publishing it.”  
“I’m sure it’s not that crap. I’ll keep an eye out for it.” Said Sam.  
“I, umm, I - I have to go.” Responded Chuck abruptly.  
_What a weird little guy._

 

A couple of days later, Ellen and Jo came to visit. They arrived in a pickup truck and were greeted by Bobby, Sam, and Jess.  
“Bobby!” Exclaimed Ellen, as she climbed down from the driver’s seat and went to hug Bobby. Jo got down from the passengers seat and ran at Sam, squealing as she hugged him. After all the formal greetings were made, they started to make dinner. Bobby had planned a casserole - to impress Ellen, Sam guessed - but it hadn’t quite gone to plan. So whilst he and Ellen worked in the kitchen trying to salvage a meal, Sam, Jess, and Jo caught up around the dining table Bobby had put out.  
“So how long have you two known each other?” Asked Jess,  
“Basically forever.” Replied Jo “Sam and Dean moved in with Bobby when I was about 1, and Bobby and my Mom, and my Dad when he was around, have known each other forever. They worked together a little.”  
“Uh huh,” Said Jess.  
“I remember when I was maybe 2 or 3, whenever Sam and Dean would come over, Dean would try and steal some beer off the adults, he must’ve been about 9,”  
Jess giggled,  
“And Sam,” Sam gave Jo a meaningful look willing her to stop. Which Jo saw, and naturally ignored. “Sam had this thing, against clothes.”  
“Oh my god!” Laughed Jess.  
“Jo, shut up!” Said Sam.  
“No, no, please, carry on!” Responded Jess,  
Jo laughed “So he’d strip,”  
“Jo!” Exclaimed Sam  
“and run around our yard, butt-ass naked!”  
Jess was crying, Jo was snorting, and Sam was internally screaming.  
“Jo, you’re such a Jerk!”  
“Why thank you!” Jo tipped an imaginary hat to Sam. Jess giggled.  
Just then, Bobby and Ellen walked in holding hot plates of food,  
“Help yourselves everybody.” Instructed Ellen. “Why are you three so red?” She asked Jo.  
“I was just telling Jess about Sam’s no clothes policy.”  
Ellen laughed, “Did you tell her about the time that he got chased by a rooster?”  
“Oh please no!” Sam sighed and rolled his eyes,  
“Oh I wanna hear this!” Jess sat up in her chair a little.  
“So this was during Sam’s life-modelling period, he must’ve been 3,”  
“4.” Corrected Bobby, chipping in.  
“Oh come on Bobby! I thought at least you were on my side!”  
“Nope.” _Well that was settled then. He was alone._  
“Anyway,” continued Ellen, “So he’s running around our yard naked, when he goes into the trees near our roadhouse. We’re all sitting outside drinking beer, when he comes running out of the trees screaming. We all start panicking, _What if it’s a bear?_ ”  
“Or worse.” Added Bobby. Everyone around the table seemed to get his meaning, apart from Jess who hadn’t noticed,  
“Carry on,” she said.  
“So he comes running out of the trees, screaming, and flaunting… well, everything.”  
“I did not flaunt!” Exclaimed Sam.  
“You keep telling yourself that, Sam.” Piped in Jo.  
Jess laughed.  
“So we’re all craping ourselves that some grizzly is gonna come running out. And what follows Sam? A chicken! A bloody chicken.”  
The whole table burst out laughing. Jess rocked back and forth on her chair, Bobby and Ellen were both wiping tears from their own eyes, Jo was snorting again - which Sam found quite endearing - and Sam was sitting there looking disgruntled.  
The rest of the meal went by in a similar fashion. Sam was able to get his own back on Jo by telling them about the first time she’d got drunk, she’d proposed to two strangers and then thrown up on a 3rd.  
That night, as Sam and Jess lay in bed snuggling, Jess said,  
“I like Ellen and Jo. I’m glad that after what your Dad did to you, you were still able to have some sort of family.”  
Sam smiled. “Yeah,” he mumbled. “Jo was like my sister when I was growing up. And Ellen was a scary but lovely Aunt. I’m glad I’ve been able to reconnect with them.”  
“I’m glad too.”  
Sam squeezed Jess and she nuzzled into him.

 

The next day, Sam got up earlier than Jess to make himself some toast. But when he got down to the kitchen, he could hear Bobby and Ellen arguing in hushed tones;  
“John’s got no place going to visit Dean. Not without Dean’s permission.”  
“But as their father, he has a right to know if his son is in hospital.” Ellen hissed back.  
“But he’s not their father, is he? I am! He gave up all claim to them the day he left them outside that care home.” Deciding he couldn’t take anymore, Sam walked into the kitchen coughing loudly.  
“Was that about my Dad?”  
“Your what, Hunny?” Asked Ellen.  
“My Dad.”  
Ellen looked shocked.  
“I told him, Ell’.”  
“You told him?”  
“Well, I sort of found out of my own accord.”  
“He sneaked into my room and found my books.”  
“So what? He found out that monsters are real. That’s no reason to tell him about his Dad!”  
“Ellen, he’s 22. He needed to find out at some point. Besides, before, you said that John needs to know Dean’s in hospital. But now you’re saying Sam doesn’t have a right to know who his birth father is?”  
Ellen tutted. “Why did you leave your books lying around anyway?”  
“I didn’t! They were in my room.”  
Ellen didn’t have any retaliation to this. Besides, Bobby looked like he was wrestling with another thing to say.  
“I was looking into demon deals to save Dean.” He blurted out.  
“You were _what_?” Exclaimed Ellen.  
“Hang on, Bobby,” Sam finally spoke, “You were gonna trade yourself for Dean?”  
“Yes.” Replied Bobby, not breaking eye contact with Ellen.  
“Bobby Singer. You are a fucking moron!”  
“Did you?” Asked Sam hurriedly.  
“No,” replied Bobby, he looked ashamed, “I tried to, but she said Hell’s got plans for Dean. It looks like they’re counting on him dying.”  
“What would Hell want with Dean?” Asked Sam.  
Bobby shrugged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that Kevin is a little older than he should be, but I liked him being the Winchesters lawyer and I couldn't exactly had an 11 year old as a lawyer.  
> Also, sorry Donna's been demoted to deputy, but I wanted to keep her and jody together.  
> Please leave a comment if you enjoyed!


	5. A New Ally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Preparation for the hearing, a new friend, the hearing, and an interruption.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, enjoy! Please leave a comment if you enjoyed it!

“So, the hearing’s gonna be on the 18th.” Said Kevin. He was sitting at Bobby’s kitchen table, working (overtime) with Sam, on the trial.  
“Of September?” Asked Sam.  
Kevin nodded.  
“But that’s in only a week’s time!”  
“Sam, it’ll be okay. We’ve been ready for weeks.”  
“Okay.” But Sam was still a little pissed.  
“You wanna go over it again?”  
 Just then, Bobby, Ellen and Jo walked in. Bobby and Ellen had forgotten their feud by the next day, and she and Jo were gonna stay till the hearing, “to support Sam”. But Sam was certain that Ellen wanted to stay with Bobby - they were fooling no one with their secrecy, and Jo had no objection to staying with Sam and Jess. Jess was still ringing up the university saying she was ill, but they were getting suspicious. Sam was certain that he and Jess weren’t fooling anyone either.  
“How’s it going, Boys?” Asked Ellen.  
“Good,” nodded Sam, “We’ve got a date for the hearing.”  
“Huh?”  
“September 18th.”  
“But, that’s really soon.” Interjected Jo.  
“Tell me about it. Listen, Kevin I’m gonna go, uh, tell Jess the good news, okay?”  
“Yeah, sure thing, Sam.”   
“Okay, see you tomorrow.”  
Sam left and walked into the bright sun of the yard, where Jess was sat on the hood of a car, reading The Great Gatsby.  
“Hey.” She said, as Sam sat down next to her and gave her a peck on the cheek.  
“Hey, good book. Have you got up to the part where-?”  
“Oi! Shut up!” She laughed as she pushed him off his perch and he stumbled onto the dusty ground.  
Sam clambered back up and put an arm around her. She nuzzled her head into his chest and he rested his head on top of hers.  
“We’ve got a date for the hearing.”  
She moved away and smiled up into his eyes. “Sam, that’s great.” He didn’t respond. “Hey, Sam, what’s the matter?” Concern rested on her brow.  
Sam swallowed heavily. “It’s just, what if he doesn’t wake up? There’s no point in this trial if Dean doesn’t wake up. There's no point in anything if Dean doesn't wake up.”  
“Oh Sam,” this time she put her arms around him, and squeezed. Sam found it strangely comforting. “I know. It’s all so uncertain and out of our control. But there’s nothing we can do. I wish there was. I really do.”  
But Sam wasn’t listening. It’d just dawned on him that there was something he could do.  
“Hey, Jess, thank you. Just... wait here. I won’t be long.” He jumped off the car and started running across the yard. “Oh, and don’t tell Bobby!”  
“Where are you going?”

 

Sam ran inside and was searching through Bobby’s books, _Where is it? Where is it? Aha! There it is!_ He grabbed one of the more sinister, leather-bound books. _What page? What page? Ah, yes! 394! Okay, okay, 287, 332, 376, 402, no, back, 394! Right, Grave Yard dirt - I can get that on the way, Black Cat Bones, what the fuck? Okay, come on, Bobby!_ He started rooting around Bobby’s draws, and found a jar full of some red substance labeled ‘Blood of Lamb’ _Eww!_ Sam almost dropped the jar as he squealed out loud. He continued searching, _Are those teeth?_ He didn’t want to know. _YES! Black Cat Bones!_ Part of him was horrified with what Bobby kept in his cupboard, the other part was very grateful for it.  
_Okay, what’s next? A Yellow Flower. I can find one on the way, shouldn’t be too hard. A Photo of Yourself. Bobby’s gotta have something lying around._ Sam would be pissed if Bobby had cat bones, but not a photo of him. Then Sam spotted a photo in a frame on Bobby’s desk. It was the one of him, Dean, and Bobby, in Bobby’s yard. Sam fumbled with the photo frame to take the photo out. _Sorry, Bobby. You will get this back. I promise._

 

On the way to the crossroads, Sam had stopped at a cemetery to pick up some soil and the yellow flowers which he put in the passenger seat of the Impala, next to the cat bones, photo, box, book, and a spray-paint can. He also had a hip flask of holy water in his jacket pocket.  
Sam had to drive for a little bit before he found a crossroads where he was sure they wouldn’t be disturbed; but when he found one, he parked the Impala, drew one of the ‘Devil’s Traps’ on the ground with the spray can, placed all the other things in the box and buried it, said the words in the book, and waited.  
“Sam Winchester, thought I’d be seeing you.” Sam spun round, searching for the source of the noise. He was confronted with a short bearded guy in a fully black suit with a grey tie. His accent was funny.  
“How do you know who I am?”  
“Oh you’re very important.” Said the demon. “You and your brother. 'Sam and Dean Winchester - they’re gonna save the world', they say.”  
“What?!”  
“Well, either that or end it.”  
“What? Who says that?”  
“Oh, everyone. Well, in Hell, I mean.”  
Sam’s heart was pounding.  
“Anyway, you want me to bring Dean back?”  
“Yes! Yes!” Sam was shocked at how smoothly this was going.  
“Well, I can’t. Sorry, Moose.”  
“ _Moose?_ ”  
The demon laughed.  
Sam sighed, and then remembered his true reason for being there, “Anyway, why can’t you help Dean? I’ll give you anything!”  
“Because demons a lot higher up than me are waiting for him to die. They’ve got dibs on his soul.”  
“Hell has a social order?”  
The demon smirked.  
“Like who?”  
“Now, why would I tell you that?”  
“Cause I can make your life real hard.” Sam pulled out the holy water, but even he was unconvinced by his own power.  
The demon laughed, “Holy water? Please.”  
Suddenly, the flask had flown out of Sam’s hand and was 20 feet away.  
“What the hell? I thought you were powerless inside the trap…”  
The demon’s eyes flashed red, and Sam was suddenly pinned against a tree trunk, meters away from where he’d been standing.  
“You’re not a demon!” Sam shouted.  
The demon laughed. “No, I’m a demon, you’re just not a hunter. And _that_ is not a Devil’s Trap.” He stepped out of the pentagram-like shape that Sam had so carefully copied out from the book. “Well, it’s close. But not quite.”  
“Are you gonna kill me?”  
The demon laughed, “No, Moose. I’m not going to kill. I’m not even gonna hurt you.” He was really close to Sam now.  
“What, then? You’re gonna posses me?”  
“You hunters are all so bloody racist, we’re not all that bad.”  
“I thought you said I wasn’t a hunter.” Grunted Sam.  
“Well, maybe I can help you become one.”  
“How?” Sam laughed sarcastically, “By pinning me to a tree?”  
“No, you moron. I’ll give you the name of a certain demon who has it out for Dean, if you agree to kill the whore.”  
“You can’t kill demons.”  
The demon laughed, “And where did you read that?”  
“In a book.”  
“Written by hunter’s, I presume?”  
“Yeah,”  
“Morons. Have you heard of a gun called The Colt?”  
“Yeah, but the book said it probably doesn’t exist.”  
“Well it does. And I can get it.”  
“Why?”  
“You don’t trust me, do you?”  
“No!”  
“Hmm, wise move. Anyway, this demon who’s got it out for Dean, her name’s Lilith. And she’s got it out for me too. And I’d really like to get one up on the bitch.”  
“Lilith?”  
“God, you're so slow. Yes, Lilith! And I need you to kill her?”  
“And you said you could get this gun?”  
The demon rolled his eyes, “Yes! I get the gun, you kill Lilith, you give me back the gun, and we can go back to trying to kill each other.”  
“Why me?”  
“Because you and your brother are meant to do this. You should’ve playing hero’s since you were kids. Just something got in the way.”  
“Like what?”  
“Bloody hell, I don’t know! Butterfly effect and all!”  
Sam sighed. “You said Dean and I are meant to kill her. How is Dean supposed to do anything in the state he is?”  
“I don’t know! Who do you think I am? Bloody Yahoo? Just, do it.”  
“When will you give me the gun?”  
“Might take a few weeks, but I’ll find it. I’ll come to you.” He turned away and walked off. “Name’s Crowley, by the way. Crowley, King of Crossroads.” As he disappeared, Sam was released from his holding, and slid down the tree.

 

“Where the _hell_ have you been?” Shouted Bobby, when Sam stepped into the kitchen. Bobby, Ellen, Jo, and Jess were sitting around looking concerned. Sam’s eyes met Jess’s and he glowered at her.  
“Sorry… They kept asking…”  
Sam sighed. “Bobby, I need to speak to you.” Sam gave Bobby a meaningful look, “Alone.”  
“Nu-huh.” Said Ellen, “I’m hearing this too.”  
Sam exhaled, “Okay, fine.” He said begrudgingly.  
“Well I’m coming too!” Said Jo.  
“Joanna, you are staying right here.”  
Jo looked pissed, but obeyed. Ellen’s word was law.  
“So, what were you doing?” Asked Ellen, after they'd stepped into Bobby’s room and closed the door.  
“I was trying to make a deal.” Sam looked at Bobby.  
Ellen tutted, “Bobby Singer, why did you raise them like this?”  
“Oi! This wasn’t my doing!”  
“Of course it was! You did it, so Sam did as well!”  
Bobby was about to retort, when Sam interrupted, “It doesn’t matter. The demon said he couldn’t save Dean.”  
“He?” Asked Bobby, “It’s pretty rare for a cross-roads demon to be a guy. They usually hire girls. Especially if it's a guy summoning. Cause of the whole kiss-to-seal-a-deal thing.”  
“Yeah, but he wasn’t normal. He had red eyes, and he said he was the King of the crossroads, Crowley I think he said his name was…? And, he said he wanted to help.”  
“Red eyes?” Asked Ellen. “Is that possible, Bobby.”  
“It’s unusual for a demon to have non-black eyes. But not unheard of. How did he want to help?”  
“He said he wanted me to kill a demon called Lilith who wanted Dean's soul. And he said he could get me The Colt to do it with.”  
“Does The Colt even exist?” Questioned Ellen.  
 “Apparently,” shrugged Sam.  
“Hey Ellen,” Bobby broke the silence. “Could you ask the hunters you know about this Crowley, and this Lilith. Mention the red eyes and his supposed1 title.”  
“Sure thing, Bobby.” Ellen left the room.  
“You did good, Sam. But don’t do it again.”  
“Bobby,”  
“Huh?”  
“When I summoned him, I drew a Devil’s trap. But I didn’t work. I must’ve messed up when I was drawing it. And he was able to use his powers, he pinned me to a tree, he could’ve killed me. Why didn’t he?”  
“Well, I suppose so that you could kill this Lilith. But you’re right, it is weird.”  
“Hang on, when I was talking to Crowley, he said that Lilith was waiting for Dean to die. What if she get’s tired of waiting?”  
“Balls!”  
“I gotta warn Castiel!”

 

“Hey, Jess, I’m gonna go see Dean.” Sam told Jess as he hurried around looking for the Impala keys.  
“Okay, you want me to come?” _Found them!_  
“No, it’s okay, Babe. I just gotta run.” He gave her a quick peck on the cheek.  
“Hope he’s okay!” She shouted after him. _Me too._  
Sam sped all the way to the hospital and didn’t even stop to sign in at the desk. He ran up the stairs three at a time and burst into Dean’s room. It was empty. There was no bed, just the monitor, which was off.  
“Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!” Sam felt tears welling behind his eyes and leak out down his cheeks. “I could’ve prevented this! I should’ve prevented this! I knew Hell was looking for him! Crap, crap crap!” Sam’s hands were pulling at his hair in despair. _Dean and Castiel had been doing their parts. But I hadn’t! God dammit, Sam. You fucktard! Castiel, Castiel!_ Sam ran out of the room and down the hallway. Suddenly, Castiel was just at the end of the hallway.  
“Castiel!” Sam shouted.  
“Sam,” Castiel’s voice was calming, as ever, but his expression was one of concern.  
“What’s going on? Where’s Dean? He’s not…” But the word caught on Sam’s tongue.  
“Dead?” _Oh god!_ “No,”  
Sam could breathe again. “Where is he?” Sam was very aware of his heart beating in his chest.  
“He had a little… blip. His heart stopped.”  
“What?!”  
“Temporarily. He’s okay now, but we had to put a stent in one of his arteries. Just to make sure it wouldn’t happen again.”  
“But, he’s young, and healthy. Why did this happen?”  
“His heart is under a lot of strain. He appears to be fighting, really hard.”  Sam smiled. _That was Dean._  
“But it’s hard for his heart to keep going. We just need to keep an eye on it.”  
“Okay. Where is he now?”  
“He’s just being taken back to his room now.”  
“The same room?”  
“Yes.”  
“Castiel, who’s been visiting him?”  
“What?”  
“Please, just tell me.”  
“Umm, you, Bobby, Jess, Ellen and Jo, and Lisa. Oh, and the guy who saw the crash, just that one time. I think that’s it.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Fairly.”  
“Okay, this is gonna sound weird but don’t let anyone else see him. And if any of them, or me, are acting weird, just, don’t let them in!”  
“What?” Castiel looked sceptical.  
“I’m serious. Dean’s life may depend on it. And if someone is trying to get in to see him, call me. Or Bobby.”  
“You think Dean’s life is in danger?”  
“Yeah. Well, even more than obvious.”  
Castiel sighed.  
“Please do this. Please trust me.”  
Castiel’s eyes met Sam’s and he could see the sincerity of Sam’s request. “Okay.”  
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

 

It was the day of the hearing. Sam was checking his hair and suit in the mirror in his and Jess’ room. Jess looked gorgeous in a smart black dress. And Bobby looked surprisingly dapper in his suit, but very unnatural without his hat. Ellen and Jo were staying at Bobby’s. They waved the three of them off in the yard. Sam was driving the Impala. Bobby had offered to drive but Sam liked taking the Impala; it felt almost like having Dean with him. They arrived at the court with time to spare and met Kevin. He had a pretty red-haired girl with him.  
“Hi Sam, this is Celeste. She tried to press charges years ago.” Sam grasped her hand. She had a sweet face and she half smiled at him. Sam was sure that on any other day she would’ve friendly and quirky. But today, she had an air of silent determination mixed with anxiety.  
“Hi, I think the sheriff mentioned you. You’ve been tryin’ to get this to happen since you were a kid, right?”  
“Yeah,” she grimaced, “It’s Mr Wellington’s fault that I grew up in a care home.”  
Sam smiled kindly. “I’m a care home kid too. Don’t worry, I’m gonna make him pay!”  
She smiled up at him and Sam noticed that she was unconventionally very beautiful.  
“And you know Charles, he's the second prosecution witness, along with yourself.” Kevin pointed to the guy who Sam had met at the hospital, but whom he hadn’t spotted till just then.  
“Please, call me Chuck.” Sam nodded at him as he shook Chuck’s hand.  
“Hey, Sam!” Sam spun round, the moment broken, and spotted the Sheriff and her partner.  
“Hey, Jody,” Sam smiled, “and, Donna, right?”  
 “You betcha!” She giggled.  
“Sam,” called Kevin, “It’s time to go in.”  
Sam was lead into the court room and sat down in a seat that Kevin pointed to. It was on the right hand side of the court, Chuck sat on the seat to the right of him. An old man was sat in one of the equivalent seats, but on the left hand side of the court. Kevin was sat in front of Sam, Chuck’s lawyer was sat in front of him, and next to Kevin. Sam had heard his name was Jeffrey Kraus. Two more lawyers were sat on the left of the court. A woman and a man. Russell Wellington was sitting in the defendant box behind Sam, Chuck, and the other old man. The usher was behind and to the left of Sam. In front of the four lawyers, there was a desk with an old woman sat behind it. Kevin had said that’s be the legal advisor, _whatever that was._ The witness box was to the left of her desk, in front of where Bobby, Jess, Jody, Donna, Celeste, and whoever else had come were sitting. And behind the legal advisor was the magistrates bench. It was up a couple of steps, so as to look imposing, Sam assumed. That was empty. But those were the people who would decide Wellington’s future.  
Then, the door by the magistrates bench opened and in walked seven people. Every one in the courtroom stood. There were three old men, two old women, a young woman, and the lead magistrate. He was the most wizened of all the men. But he didn’t look kind. Sam just hoped he would direct his unkindness towards Wellington. When the seven magistrates sat, three on each side of the lead, the court sat.  
The legal advisor said her speech about legal clauses and court procedure. Sam supposed that he should probably listen but he couldn’t concentrate on it.  
Then, Kevin stood and started speaking,  
“Good morning your worships, good morning my learned colleagues.” The speech went on for several minuets, but it had some really strong points in it. Sam felt a rush of affection and pride towards the kid.  
At the end of the speech, he addressed the lead magistrate; “If it please, your worship, I would like to call forward the first prosecution witness.”  
The lead magistrate nodded and the usher led Sam to the witness’ stand.  
Sam could feel his heart fluttering in his chest.  
“Could you please confirm your name, date of birth, and occupation?”  
“My name is Sam Winchester, I was born on May Second 1983, and I’m a student.”  
“Could you please tell the court what happened on the night of May 2nd?”  
“I was staying with my brother in Sioux Falls. Dean, my brother, had had an argument with his girlfriend. He’d drunk a little and he got in the car. That was around midnight. I followed. He drove onto the highway. I got him to pull over in a lay by. We talked for hours. He pulled out just after 2 am. I didn’t let him drive again till he was sober. Then we were hit by the car.”  
“How much had Dean drunk?”  
“He’d had two beers.”  
“Was he definitely sober when he pulled out?”  
“Yes.”  
“Was Dean a good driver?”  
“Yes. He got his license at 16. First try. So he’s been driving for 10 years.”  
“Where is Dean now?”  
“He’s in hospital. He’s been comatosed since Wellington hit us. It’s incredibly uncertain as to whether he’ll wake up, and what state he’ll be in if he does.”  
"I'm sorry."  
"Thank you." Sam nodded.  
“Were Dean’s lights on when he pulled out?”  
“Yes.”  
“Are you sure that all of them were working.”  
“I’m certain. The car is outside, if anyone would like me to demonstrate, I can.”  
A murmur of laughter rippled through the room and Kevin smiled encouragingly.  
“Did he indicate?”  
“Yes, he did.”  
“Was there anything in the road when Dean pulled out?”  
“Not that we knew of, at the time. I now know that Mr Wellington was. However, he did not have his light’s on, so neither Dean nor I had any way of knowing he was there.”  
“You’re certain he didn’t have his lights on?”  
“100%”  
“Thank you, I have no further questions. But please remain standing, as I’m sure my learned colleague does.”  
The woman on the left side of the court stood.  
“What were you doing on the night of the 2nd of May?”  
“As I’ve already said, I was staying in Sioux Falls with my brother.”  
“You go to university in California, is that correct?”  
“Yes.”  
“But you were in Sioux Falls?”  
“Yes.”  
 “Why?”  
“Because, as I’ve already said,” Sam began, passive aggressively, “I was visiting my brother. And, if you listened to my date of birth, you may’ve realised that May 2nd is my birthday. I wanted to spend my birthday with my brother.”  
"You said Dean had been drinking?"  
"Yes, but I also said that he was sober when we were hit."  
"You're certain of this?"  
"Yes."  
“Mr Winchester, who is your father?”  
“Bobby Singer. He brought me up. He’s sitting behind me.”  
“I meant paternally?”  
“His name's John Winchester. That’s all I know.”  
“And your mother?”  
“How is this relevant?”  
“Just answer the question, Mr Winchester.”  
“Her name was Mary, she died when I was a baby. Again, that’s all I know.” _How was this relevant?_  
“When did Mr Singer adopt you?”  
“When I was three. What does this have to do with Mr Wellington potentially killing my brother?”  
“Is there any possibility that, due to a traumatic childhood, you are disturbed?”  
“What? First of all, I’m not disturbed, Bobby gave Dean and me the greatest childhood we could’ve wished for. And secondly, even if I was disturbed, what’s that got to do with the trial? It’s not like I imagined the whole thing up! Dean in hospital and the dents in my car prove that!”  
“Are you aware of the fact that Mr Wellington had a child that he put up for adoption?”  
“What? No-”  
“Is that why you chose him to press charges against? As some sort of sick revenge on your father?”  
“What? This is insane! It wasn’t even me who worked out that it was Wellington! That was Sheriff Mills!”  
The female lawyer started talking again, but was interrupted but a crash as the doors into the room were flung open, and a dark haired man, being held back by two security guards was shouting.  
“Sam!” But Sam didn’t recognise him. _Oh my god._  
“ _Castiel?_ ” Sam hadn’t recognised him with that anger in his eyes. But Castiel’s expression softened when he looked into Sam’s eyes and Sam could tell he was trying to silently communicate with him. _Oh god, what’s happened?_  
“He’s awake! Sam, he’s awake!”  
 “WHAT?”  
“Dean’s awake! Sam, go! I’ll hold them back!” And with surprising strength, he grabbed onto the two men holding him and restrained them. Sam vaulted the witness box, shouting “Thank you” as he ran past Castiel. He slid across the hood of the Impala and put his foot down. Towards the hospital at 70mph; well over the speed limit. He ran up the stairs - again, three at a time - and burst into Dean’s room. Dean was sitting up in bed. He looked tired and unhealthy but he was alive and awake.  
“Oh my god, Dean!” Sam flung himself at Dean and held him tight.  
“Hey Sammy,” groaned Dean,  
Sam stood up suddenly, “Wait, I didn’t hurt you, did I?”  
Dean laughed “No, Sammy, don’t worry.”  
Sam smiled through his tears, but then broke down.  
“Oh come on, Sam. No chick-flick moments!” But Dean was crying too.  
“Oh god, Dean. I thought you were gonna die. Don’t do that. Ever.”  
“You thought one little car crash could kill your badass big brother?”  
Sam smiled up at Dean.  
Just then, Bobby and Jess burst in. Suddenly, there was an air of awkwardness in the air as Dean and Bobby looked into each other’s eyes. Then, Dean did something Sam never thought he’d do. He apologised.  
“Bobby, I’m so sorry about what I said to you that night. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me and Sam. I’ll never forget that.”  
“Ya idjit.” Bobby was crying too now, “I’m so sorry too.” And the two of them embraced. Father and son. Just about then, Dean spotted Jess.  
“Oh, hello,” Dean smirked up at her, and she smiled a dazzling smile down at him,  
“Oh, sorry, Jess, this is Dean, Dean, this is Jess, my girlfriend.”  
Dean continued to smirk up at Jess and she giggled. But not awkwardly. She took the flirting very well.  
“Listen,” she addressed Sam, “Sam, I’m gonna leave you, let you be a family. I’ll just wait downstairs.”  
“Okay,” Sam held her hand and looked into her eyes. “Thank you.” He really meant it.  
She smiled and left the room.  
“She’s nice.” Said Dean.  
“Where’s Castiel?” Sam asked Bobby.  
“They’ve arrested him. But they’re only holding him for the night, and it’s Jody, so he’ll be fine.”  
“Who’s Castiel? That’s a weird name.”  
“He’s your doctor.”  
“Oh yeah, I think I met him, briefly. Weird little guy? He ran out of the room as soon as he saw I was awake. Why’s he under arrest?”  
“He’s amazing. He’s been looking after you for four months - ”  
“Four months?!” Exclaimed Dean,  
“Yeah, didn’t you know?”  
“No.”   
“Well, anyway. I was in the hearing. About the crash,” Sam said at Dean’s quizzical look. “And in he bursts, shouting that you’re awake. And so I ran out.”  
Dean chuckled.  
“What happened after I left?” Sam asked Bobby.  
“They just carried on, onto the next witness. Jess 'n I left though so I dunno the verdict.”  
“So,” interrupted Dean, “four months? Did you miss me, ladies? I reckon it was really boring, huh?”  
“Actually, no it wasn’t.” And Sam and Bobby began explaining about John and Mary, and demons and hunters and other monsters, and Lilith and Crowley and Hell, and - to Bobby’s dismay - Sam explained about him and Ellen.  
“Jesus! I’m out for four months and suddenly I’m on Hell’s most wanted list, monsters exist and bobby fights them, he and Ellen are a thing, you know who dad is, and possibly most incredibly, Sammy’s finally popped his cherry.”  
“Shut up, Dean!” Replied Sam, punching Dean on the shoulder.  
“Oi! I’m a veteren!”  
“No, you’re just lazy.”  
“Bitch!”  
“Jerk!”  
“Idjits!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you are, hope you enjoyed it.  
> I wanna try and make the chapters more this length but sorry for the wait, I haven't been very motivated.  
> There'll be more Crowley, don't worry.  
> About the hearing and order of procedure and all, I did a magistrates court case thingy at school so I know how they work, however, I don't know whether something like that would be magistrates court or crown court. And I don't know about america (I'm british btw) cause you won't have crown courts.  
> I hope some of you got the Harry Potter reference.  
> Most of you will've worked out who Celeste is.  
> And the other lawyer is Sam's lawyer from season 2 episode "The Usual Suspects" for anyone who was wondering.  
> Also, sorry about the cheesy ending, but at least Dean's okay, right?


	6. The First Battle of The War To Come

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean's first day, they meet some unlikely friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the sixth chapter, I really hope you enjoy it.  
> Also, we passed 100 hits!!!!!! Ahhhhh!!!! (I think we're on 134 now actually...)  
> Anyway, I know that lot's of people probably left as soon as they clicked, but still, it's a milestone!  
> Please comment leaving feedback, and kudos if you enjoy it. Please share it around, it would be so awesome if more people were reading it.  
> Anyway, enjoy!

Sam and Bobby both stayed at the hospital that night. Ellen and Jo had come to visit and taken Jess back to Bobby’s.  
Sam and Dean both slept for hours. Dean had let Sam get into bed with him, which was rare, and squished. Bobby sat beside the bed, looking at his boys. They were holding each other; something which, on any other occasion, Dean would’ve adamantly protested against. However, not today, because today he was home. He was safe. And he was whole.  
Bobby couldn’t help but smile at the two of them lying there. They didn't look like men; they were boys. Sam’s hair fell on the pillow and moved sightly with each of Dean’s breaths. Dean was holding Sam together with an arm around Sam’s ribs. And Sam was protecting Dean - shielding him, by putting one if his arms over Dean’s shoulder.  
Dean didn’t usually like to be vulnerable in this way. But, when Dean was with Sam, he never truly was vulnerable. He had a purpose - a reason for being, and, that’s the greatest gift anyone could ask for.  
As Bobby sat there, smiling in the moonlight and watching over the two people he loved the most in the world: the two people he’d sworn to protect, he remembered the last time he’d seen them fall asleep like this. It was when Sam had broken his wrist by jumping off Bobby’s shed. He’d been out that day, visiting Ellen, and had left the boys home alone. Dean was nine at the time, _you’d’ve thought he’d stop Sam from doin’ somethin’ stupid like that._ However, Dean had actually encouraged it. He’d jumped first. Bobby laughed to himself. He remembered getting the call from Dean when he and Sam were in the ER. He'd planned on being pissed at the kid, but when he arrived and saw the look of worry and guilt in Dean’s eyes, he didn’t have the heart. Instead, he and Dean had sat in the hospital, in an agonising state of fret, until Sam came rushing towards them, showing off his new blue cast and grinning. Apparently completely unfazed by his broken limb. _Dean had been brilliant that night. Recounting the story of Sam flying through the air, and then sleeping with Sam when the pain of his wrist finally got to him. That kid could make Sam smile when no one else ever could._ That was one thing Bobby was sad about; Sam and Dean had only had each other for so long that Bobby wasn’t always able to fully get through to them. He just wished that they didn’t have to be alone like that.  
Bobby didn’t sleep the rest of that night. Instead, he stayed and watched over the two of them; their protector.

 

The next morning, Bobby went out to get Sam and Dean breakfast.  
“What do ya want?” He asked as he laced up his boots.  
“Pie.” Replied Dean,  
“Seriously, Dean? You’ve just woken up from a four-month coma, don’t you want fruit or something?”  
“Shut up, Sam. I’m allowed what I want.”  
Bobby laughed, “You want anythin’, Sam?”  
“Oh, a smoothie would be good. Thanks Bobby.”  
“How is that any better than pie?” Bobby chuckled as he left the two of them to bicker.  
“Hey, Dean,” Sam asked, an air of hesitation in his voice,  
“Yeah, Sammy?”  
“Do you remember anything about Mom and Dad?”  
“Uh, a bit, yeah.”  
“What?! You didn’t think to tell me?”  
“Well, I wasn’t sure if it was true, I’m still not.”  
Sam was still a little pissed, but he didn’t want to have an argument with Dean. “What do you remember?”  
“Mom was... kind; and beautiful.” He smiled softly to himself, the creases by his lips accentuated by the morning light. “She sang us ‘Hey Jude’, you know, by the - ”  
“Yeah, The Beatles.” Sam smiled, and looked up into his brothers eyes. Really studying them, as he had done when he was young. They were the most brilliant shade of green imaginable. The kind of green that pushes it’s way through the mud, and the rain, and the snow, and reminds you that spring is coming, and that life will prevail. And to Sam, it was the most fantastic colour in all the world.  
Dean chuckled softly to himself, “Yeah, well, she’d sing that to us, instead of a lullaby.”  
They sat their for a moment, completely contented.  
“Do you know how she died?” The seriousness was etched onto his brow.  
“Bobby, said that Dad told him it was a demon. Do you remember it?”  
Dean swallowed heavily, his brilliant green iris now in a sea of pink as his eyes filled with tears, “Yeah.” He sniffed, “It was the night you turned six-months. I was asleep when I heard Mom scream, and then Dad shouting and running up the stairs, so I got out of bed to see what was happening. I saw Dad run into your room, which was where Mom’s scream had been from. Then, I could see fire from under the door frame, and through the cracks by the hinge, and the keyhole. I thought you were dead.” He looked up at Sam, tears now running down his cheeks, “Sammy, I though you were all dead. I could still hear Mom’s screams, and I knew I had to do something. But... I couldn’t. I just stood there, frozen; like a god damn fucking moron.” Sam could feel his heart straining in his chest, and Dean’s breast was heaving. He inhaled, “And then, I saw Dad come running out. And he was holding something, it was you.” Dean laughed bitterly. “And he handed you to me, I still remember the exact words he said to me. ‘Take your brother outside as fast as you can and don’t look back! Now, Dean, go!’" The words escaped his lips with none of the urgency that they were initially said with, but instead a sort of off-hand loathing. "And, as soon as I had you in my arms, I unfroze. Cause I had a purpose. I had to save you. I had to keep you safe. Once we got outside I could see that your entire room was engulfed in flames. Mom was dead. And then, Dad ran out, and he grabbed us and drove us to a motel. I just sat on the bed, holding you in my arms for hours. I didn’t cry. I couldn’t. I wanted to, I really did, but - I just couldn’t. Dad on the other hand…” Dean scoffed, “He cried, and paced, and swore, he rung a couple of people. And then, he got us in the car and put our bags in the trunk, and he dropped us outside the orphanage. I asked him when he was coming back, he said ‘Soon’” another bitter laugh escaped Dean’s lips. “Didn’t even have the balls to take us inside.”  
They sat in silence for a moment.  
“Dean, I’m so sorry.”  
“What? It’s not your fault, and we ended up with Bobby, right? He did a way better job than Dad ever could.”  
“Yeah, but still, it wasn’t fair for him to leave you like that. You were four.”  
Dean nodded.  
Just then, the door swung open and Bobby came in,  
“Hey, Sam, you know that German Doctor, the one who cut you up?”  
“What?!” Asked Dean,  
 “Oh, yeah, sorry, you’ve got one of my kidneys. What about him, Bobby?”  
“What?!” Asked Dean,  
“Well,” began Bobby, “he’s in the corridor arguing with another fella in a suit, about Dean.”  
“What?!” Asked Dean,  
“Why?” Puzzled Sam,  
“Look’s like the German Doctor is trying to prevent the other guy from seeing Dean.”  
 “Do they know each other?” Asked Sam,  
“Don’t look like it.”  
“But why do they want me? Do you think they’re demons? Are they gonna kill me?” Dean seemed surprising unfazed by the idea of imminent death.  
“We’re not gonna let them do that, Dean.”  
“Well, yeah, I know that, Sam.”  
Just then, there was a sharp knock at the door,  
“Oh crap.”  
Time seemed to go slow; the door handle lowered, and the bolt clicked back. Slowly, the door began to swing open, they could see the tip of a black leather shoe. Knowing the other was not far behind, Bobby reached for his duffel and grabbed the hilt of his salt-loaded-shotgun in the bag. All of a sudden, Castiel appeared from behind the door.  
“Oh thank god,” Sam sighed, “Castiel, get in here, quick!” He closed the door behind his friend.  
“Oh, hello,” Dean smirked,  
“Why? Sam, what’s going on?”  
“Uh, it’s complicated,”  
“Sam, tell me,”  
“You know know Doctor Betrüger?”  
“Yeah, Gabriel. What about him?”  
“You remember a week ago, when I told you not to let anyone else see Dean?”  
“Yes… Sam, where is this going?”  
“Uh… I was warning you against demons, who want to kill Dean, and take his soul to Hell, and now they’re trying to get in here to kill Dean.”  
“That’s me.” Chipped in Dean, smiling at the doctor,  
“Yes, I know, glad to see you’re alright, Dean. Sam, what are you talking about?”  
But it was too late. The door swung open and in walked a balding white guy in a suit. He had an air of a superiority complex about him. He was followed by Doctor Betrüger, who was looking frustrated and flustered.  
“Please, sir, if you don’t know the patient, you have no right to be seeing them.”  
“Oh, but I have every right.” He smiled maliciously.  
Sam and Castiel both moved closer to Dean’s bed, shielding Dean.  
“I’ve come to see Dean Winchester.” The man continued.  
“Christo.” Bobby growled under his breath,  
The man turned on Bobby, “Mr Singer, you really believe something like that will work on something like me?” He maintained his smile, but there was a wall of anger and hate behind it. He flicked his hand nonchalantly, and Sam, Bobby, Castiel, and Gabriel were pinned to the wall. Dean couldn’t move either, stuck in his bed.  
“Pff, mortals.” He sneered. “So pathetic.”  
“What are you?” Panted Sam,  
“I am know as Zachariah. I’m an Angel of the Lord.”  
“Bull!” Laughed Dean,  
“You wanna bet?” All of a sudden, the room was dark but filled with flickering light that cast a shadow behind this so called ‘Angel of the Lord’. However, not just the shadow of a man was cast, but the dark wings of a great raven stretched behind him, moving with his breaths, two meters either side of him.  “Oh my god.” Castiel uttered,  
“Oh, but hang, on." The man's wings vanished. "Are we all mortals?”  
“What?” Scoffed Dean,  
Zachariah stepped up to Castiel. “Oh brother this is good.”  
“What?” Cried Castiel, panic in his eyes.  
“Castiel, what’s he talking about?” Questioned Sam,  
“I don’t know, I swear.”  
Zachariah laughed, “Oh this is brilliant, he doesn’t know!” Zachariah mimicked. “Dean was brain dead, how did you wake him up, again?”  
“What? I replaced his kidney and then gave him steroids…”  
“And, Castiel, is it scientifically possible for him to wake up after so long and be completely okay?”  
“I - I don’t know.”  
“Now, now, you do.”  
Castiel swallowed, “No, it’s not.”  
“Oh oh, we are in trouble, aren’t we Cassie?”  
“But miracles can happen!” Exclaimed Castiel,  
“‘ _Miracles can happen_ ’ How cute is that? Yes, Castiel. Miracles can happen. But they need someone to instigate them. And oh has heaven been lookin’ for you!” He laughed with glee.  
“I proclaim you, Castiel, Angel of - ”  
“And that’s quite enough of that.” Suddenly, Doctor Betrüger was on his feet, circling Zachariah, like a hyena circling it’s prey. The prey had a look of terror and confusion on his face.  
“Who the hell are you?” Questioned Zachariah, completely taken aback.  
“I’ll tell you who I am; to these people, I'm Doctor Betrüger. To myself, I was happy, well, that was until you came along and fucked it all up. I don’t want to kill you, brother, but I will. You see, I have many names. I was a trickster for a while, a long while actually. And then, when I found little bro Cassie in Sioux Falls General, I became a doctor. But, who I was, millions of years ago was an angel. A very powerful angel, actually.”  
“Who are you?” Stammered Zachariah.  
“They call me Gabriel.”  
Zachariah’s face dropped. “That's impossible. You’re dead! They told me you were dead!”  
“You know, I never liked you, Zach. Won’t be too hard killing you.” Suddenly, a long silver blade fell from his sleeve, he grabbed the hilt and rammed it hard into the Angel’s chest. Bright white light radiated from his eyes, mouth - which was stuck open in shock - and stab wound. Gabriel caught his brother and lowered him to the ground as the light dispersed. He kneeled there for a moment, as Sam, Bobby, and Castiel slid down the walls and landed sitting, leaning against the wall that’d previously been their prison, all staring in horror at Gabriel.  
“Castiel, you fucking idiot.” He growled from his position over his dead kin.  
“What? What did I do?”  
“You blew my cover.”  
 “Umm, sorry,” Interrupted Dean, “but did you say you were Gabriel?”  
“Yes.” He nodded,  
“As in ‘Archangel Gabriel’ Gabriel?”  
“Yeah.”  
“As in witnessed-the-birth-of-Christ Gabriel.”  
“Yep. God, she was a screamer.”  
“Haha,” laughed Sam, apprehensively, “I played you in a school nativity once.”  
“Oh yeah, I remember.” giggled Dean, “You wore a dress.” The whole situation was so absurd.  
“All right, can we get back to the point please?” Interrupted Gabriel, a little impatiently.  
“What about me?” Asked Castiel, “Who am I?”  
“You’re an angel, you fell.”  
“What does that mean?”  
“You chose to loose your Grace and fall to Earth to live a human life. Except, it appears you didn’t loose your Grace.”  
“What do you mean? What’s my Grace?”  
“It’s what makes you an angel. Without it, you become human. When you fall, you loose your Grace and you gain a soul. Except, somehow, you managed to cling onto your Grace when you fell.”  
“How?”  
“I don’t know, it shouldn’t be possible. You must be incredibly strong.”  
“Why would I choose to fall? Being an angel, it sounds pleasant.”  
“Trust me, it’s not. That’s why I left.”  
“But, you didn’t loose your Grace, and how come he didn’t recognise you?” Castiel signalled toward the dead angel splayed on the floor, wings stained against the walls.  
“Hello? Archangel.” He circled his face with an index finger, “I’m a hellova lot more powerful than those jerks.”  
“But what about God? Surely he could see you.”  
“Oh Cassie, Daddy left the mad-house a loooong time ago.”  
“What?” Queried Sam, scornfully,  
“Oh yeah, you think capital-G God would’ve just sat back and let the holocaust happen? What about 9/11?”  
“Well, where were you? Why weren’t you stopping this?” Sam shouted. He’d put his faith in these people, and yet, they didn’t seem to care.  
“I was down here. Protecting myself.”  
“Protecting yourself whilst millions died?” Dean now joined in.  
“Hey, why don’t you start blaming him?” He pointed to Castiel.  
They turned to Castiel, “I - I don’t even remember it. I’m sorry, but how can you blame me if we don’t know my side of the story?”  
“Good enough for me.” Dean turned back on Gabriel, “Oh, and he saved my life.”  
“Look, okay, ever heard of Raoul Wallenberg? No? Jeez, what do they teach you morons? Born 1912 in Sweden, was able to rescue 100,000 jews from Hungary by issuing documents giving them all Swedish citizenship, therefore, making them untouchable to the Nazi’s unless they wanted to declare war on Sweden. He then mysteriously disappeared in 1945. Say hello to yours truly. Don’t ever presume to know me. Anyway, we’ve got bigger fish to fry.”  
“What do you mean?” Questioned Bobby,  
“Zachariah coming here wasn’t a spur of the moment thing. He was sent here on an official heaven mission. They’ll begin to wonder where he is soon. You need to go.”  
“Won’t they find us?” Asked Sam,  
“Oh yeah, good point.” Suddenly, hot knives were shooting through Sam’s chest and he was on the ground clutching himself, Bobby and Dean had had similar reactions,  
“What are you doing?!” Shouted Castiel, panicking.  
“Oh it’s fine, it’s just warding.” Then, the pain stopped as abruptly as it had started.  
“What the hell was that?” Grunted Dean.  
“Enochian, angel alphabet. It means no angel can find you unless you pray to it.”  
“So, if we pray, you’ll come?” Asked Sam,  
“Eh, maybe, if I can be arsed. Castiel will transport you home.”  
“What? I don’t know how.”  
“Oh really? Do I have to potty train you?” He sighed, “Just, try and use your Grace for every day things. You’ll soon learn how to control it. Bye!”  
“WAIT!” But it was too late. He was gone.  
“So, Cas, you wanna… angel us home?” Inquired Dean, slightly sceptically.  
“Uh, I’ll try.” He put a hand to both Sam and Dean’s foreheads, “Umm, Bobby, if this works I’ll come back for you.”  
“Okay.” He nodded. But he too seemed unconvinced.  
“Umm, Bobby’s House?” Castiel tried. Nothing happened. “Singer residence?” Still nothing. “Singer Auto…”  
“Never mind.” Sighed Dean, “At least I get to drive my baby.”  
“Dean, you sure you’re fit to drive?”  
“Shut up, Sam. I’m fine.” As Dean got dressed into jeans, a t-shirt, a fern coloured shirt, and boots - finishing the look by putting his amulet, that’d been on his bedside table for the past four months, around his neck to rest on his chest, he turned to Castiel, “You know, Cas, I’m still not convinced you’re an angel.”  
“Neither am I.”

 

Dinner that night was lively, there were so many around the table - Sam, Bobby, Castiel, Jess, Jo, Ellen, and of course, guest of honour: Dean - that they struggled to fit.  
That night, as he and Jess lay in bed, her small form fitting into his arms so perfectly, Sam began to worry.  
“Jess, you know that I love you.”  
“Of course, Sam. I love you too.”  
“And you know that I’m not gonna leave you.”  
“Sam, what’s going on?”  
“Nothing. Nothing you need to worry about. You’ll be fine. Just - just know that I love you.”  
He heard her laugh contentedly, “I know.”


	7. The First Game of The War To Come

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some destiel bonding, some nice domesticness, and the boys' first hunt!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so it is 1 o'clock in the morning and I've just finished writing it and I'm incredibly tired so I apologise if it's shit. Sorry that it's been a while too. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, please kudos and comment and subscribe and bookmark it if you enjoy it. And please share it around, it'd be so awesome if more people saw it! Huge thank you to the people who have Subscribed and Kudosed (is that a word...?) ! Anyway, enjoy!

The golden sun gleamed down the freckled face of a healthy young man; shining off his cheeks and through his hair that was now gilt in the mid day sun. He had a beer held in his hand, and was smiling and squinting up at the sun that he might’ve been lost to forever. Castiel couldn’t help but feel a small rush of pride. Angel or not, he had helped get this man healthy and freckled. And perfect. _What?! Castiel, no!_ He shuddered a little as he wrestled with his emotions and stepped into the relentless sun.  
“You really shouldn’t be drinking so soon, Dean.” Castiel scolded his patient but bent down to pick up a beer of his own.  
“Ah! Shut up! I can do what I like!” Dean laughed, squinting at the doctor.  
Castiel laughed too.  
“No, but, umm,” Dean stared deep into Castiel’s eyes, seeing past the colour - right into his soul, or grace, or whatever was inside of him. “Thank you. I mean it. I’m still not convinced you’re an angel. But… without you, I wouldn’t be standing here.”  
Castiel smiled slightly to himself, “You’re welcome, Dean. And thank you for waking up.”  
The sides of Dean’s eyes crinkled as the smile spread through his whole face. “And thank you for looking after Sammy. And Bobby.”  
They both sat there for a moment smiling contentedly.  
“So… Angel, huh? You feelin’… angelic?”  
“Uh… no? I don’t know. I mean, I’ve always though I was different, but doesn’t everyone?”  
“Well, I _am_ different.”  
“See what I mean?”  
Dean laughed.  
“Well, you just gotta look for signs. Why don’t you try something? You… could…” His eyes scanned the yard, looking for something to help Castiel show his lordly abilities, “Set that bush on fire?”  
“Oh come on, Dean. That’s a little cliché, isn’t it?”  
“I dunno! Just… try it.”  
“Okay.” Castiel screwed up every cog in his brain, every sinew, working and fighting and urging something to happen. His fingernails were digging into the palm of his hands so hard he broke the skin, and could feel a hot trickle of blood run down his knuckle and drip onto the ground but he didn’t look. He was too busy glaring at the bush, his brow was furred, he was barely breathing. If he could just will it a little further, push a bit more. He could feel the energy pounding through his veins. Suddenly, he heard a hissing noise. _It’s on fire!_ No. No, the hiss was coming from Dean. He was biting down on his knuckles and hissing with repressed laughter. All of a sudden, it burst from him and he was roaring with laughter.  
“I’m sorry, man.” He chuckled through tears, “It’s just, you looked like you _really_ needed to take a dump.”  
Castiel sighed. But soon, he too was chuckling.  
“I dunno, I just thought… something would happen.”  
“I’m sorry,” Said Dean, wiping tears from his cheeks, “I just, don’t buy into this whole Angel thing.”  
“But what about Gabriel, and that other one that he killed, Zachariah? I mean, they were Angels.”  
“I dunno. They could’ve been lying. Bobby said that they could’ve been a really powerful demon.”  
“Yes, but he also said that it was very unlikely. But he _did_ say that demons and Hell definitely exist, and that it’d make sense if angels and Heaven did too.”  
“Alright! I just… find it a lot harder to believe in bad things than good things.”  
“You have no faith, Dean.”  
“How am I supposed to? If god exists, why are my parents dead? What did Sammy do to deserve that? I get I’m not the perfect example of a good human being, but Sam was 6 months. What the fuck did he do to deserve that?!” Dean kicked a bit of gravel on the ground. It hit an old tank, and the sound of metal echoed through the yard.  
“I’m sorry, Cas. It’s not your fault.”  
“No, Dean, I understand. You’re angry. Just… don’t make any judgements until we know the whole story.”  
“Yeah.” Dean inhaled and exhaled slowly. It’d been a long time since he’d let his temper get the better of him like that. Well, four months.  
“Castiel, if - if you are an… angel, you must remember something. Heaven? Or god? How come you’re working at a hospital if you’re an angel?”  
“Umm, I dunno, I just got a job there.”  
“What did you do before that?”  
“I was at university, studying medicine.”  
“For how long?”  
“Two years.”  
“Two years? I though medical courses were at least 6 years.”  
“I got moved forwards. I think.” Castiel’s brow was heavy, his memories were hazed. Blurry.  
“Okay… and before that?”  
“I - ” Castiel stopped short. He felt as if he’d just hit a brick wall in his head. “I don’t know.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“I don’t remember anything from before that.”  
“What? No childhood? Parents? First crush?”  
Castiel shook his head. He felt sick. There was a sort of wire mesh of disgust in the pit stomach.  
“How can you not remember _anything_ ? You don’t remember your parents? Friends? Siblings? Teachers? Neighbours? You can’t’ve just appeared one day.” Dean was (rather insensitively) voicing all of the questions that Castiel was too terrified to ask out loud.  
Castiel could feel a lump in his throat, rising and expanding, preventing him from breathing.  
Dean was staring at him, terrified, but Castiel couldn’t meet his eyes.  
Then, without warning, Dean’s arms were around Castiel, embracing him like a brother. Castiel silently cried into his friend’s shoulder.

 

Bobby and Ellen had grown even closer since Dean’s awakening, and seemed less secretive about their relationship. When Sam walked in on them shamelessly flirting, Bobby didn’t even flinch.  
“Eww, do you have to?”  
“Shut up, Sam. You and Jess aren’t any better.”  
“Yeah were are! Hey, Jo!” Jo appeared in the doorway, “Who’s flirting is more disgusting, mine and Jess’, or Bobby and Ellen?”  
“Mom and Bobby.” She responded instantly.  
“Joanna Beth Harvelle,” began Ellen,  
“Oh shut up, Mom. You’re in love; it’s disgusting.”  
There was an immediate silence. Loud as the crash of a drum kit falling down a stairwell.  
“Oh ho,” laughed Jo as if she’d just been presented with a new knife, or the severed head of a vamp, “You haven’t said it yet, have you?”  
Bobby and Ellen both avoided eye contact with everyone else in the room.  
Jess grinned down at Sam, who was sitting at the kitchen table, torn between whether to laugh or feel ashamed.  
“Umm, Ellen,” Bobby’s gruff voice broke the silence, “I - uh - I have something to say. I… I,” He sighed and shook his head slowly, still intently engaging the floor in a staring match, “I lov- I love you.”  
Jo was taken aback with a frozen look of shock and horror at what she’d done. Sam had stopped breathing. This was hands down the most awkward thing he’d ever witnessed, but it had room to get a lot more awkward.  
“Umm, do you…?”  
“Robert Steven Singer, you fucking moron.”  
_Oh crap._  
“Of course I love you too.”  
The tension immediately lifted. Sam sighed and Jo cheered as the couple embraced.

 

“Hey, uh, Jess,” Castiel was stood awkwardly in the doorway,  
“Oh, hey Cas. What’s up?”  
Castiel stepped into the room and sat at the table beside her. He signalled to her work, “Work for uni?”  
“Yeah, history. It’s hard. I’m supposed to be back now but I’m gonna take a bit more time out. However, my professors are a little pissed so are sending the work.”  
“Um, if you need any help,”  
“You did history?”  
“No, I was crap at it.”  
Jess laughed,  
“But, if you’d like any comparison to prove that you’re good… you know where to come.”  
She laughed again, Castiel did think she was very beautiful.  
“So, what’s eatin’ atcha?” She grinned at him,  
He wasn’t really sure why he was talking to her about this, but he couldn’t tell Sam. He wished he could tell her the truth, the whole truth. The truth about his past. Or his supposed past. But Sam, Dean, Bobby, and Castiel had decided that it was best not to tell Ellen, Jo, and Jess. Not until they knew for sure. And Sam was adamant that Jess would never be exposed to anything supernatural. But Castiel could trust Jess with this. It was… domestic. Ish.  
“Jess, you and Sam,”  
“Yes?”  
“You love each other.”  
“Yes.”  
“And you’re sure about that?”  
She laughed nervously, “Yeah…”  
“How do you know?”  
“I dunno, I just do. I just feel like, when we’re together, I’m home.”  
Castiel sighed, _Oh fuck._  
“How long have you known?”  
“Umm, okay, don’t tell Sam, but you know we’re flatmates at college? Well I would see him around, but I rarely had the balls to talk to him. I don’t know if I was in love with him when I offered to come stay, but I fancied him. But that night, we… had sex, and he told me he loved me, and I just knew I loved him too.”  
Castiel nodded.  
“Why? Is there someone for you?”    
Castiel nodded slowly.  
“Well, she’s a very lucky woman.”  
Castiel couldn’t tell her. He couldn’t. So he just nodded again at her.

 

“Bobby, me and Sam have been talking, and we wanna go on a hunt. Nothing too big, but if Heaven and Hell have plans for me, I reckon we should train up.” Sam nodded along to Dean’s proposition. It was like they were kids asking to go to the cinema, again.  
Bobby sat there in silence. He wanted to keep his boys safe, more than anything in the world. But maybe this would be the safer thing to do. “Okay.”  “What?” Dean was taken aback by the easiness of the task he’d been dreading for hours.  
“Yeah, I think you should.”  
Both boys grinned.  
“But I’m coming with you.”  
“Okay, we can live with that.” Dean smiled.  
“So, got any cases?” Inquired Sam, beaming.  
“Well, there’s one fairly close. Salt and burn. Should be fairly simple. Ghosts.” He said at the boys quizzical looks,  
“Oh,” both boys smiled in realisation.  
“So, when are we leaving?” Asked Dean,  
“Balls, you’re keen. Okay, I’ll just pack a few things,”

 

Half an hour later, they were driving down the highway in the impala, after having told Jess that they were on a beer run. Cas and Ellen - of course - knew, and Jo was pissed that she hadn’t been invited. Dean was driving, and blasting Metallica, Sam was laughing in the passenger seat, and Bobby was looking disgruntled at having been put in the back. Dean pulled up to an old house and they got out.  
“Bit cliché, isn’t it? Ramshackled old house?” Sam pointed out as Bobby kicked the door down.  
“So, what are we lookin’ for?” Questioned Dean,  
“Sally Turner, killed by her husband 60 years ago, supposedly buried out back.”  
“What are we doing in here, then?” Asked Sam,  
“Jus’ curious.” Responded Bobby as they stepped into a large living room. The room was almost circular. Maroon and gold patterned wall paper peeled from the walls. There was a rather regal painting of an unhappy looking couple hanging from the wall. The woman was beautiful, with straight dark hair, the man was older and had quite a firm grip on her shoulder.  
“Hey, Bobby, this wall paper looks kinda like yours, you could use it to redo your study.” Dean grinned at Bobby.  
“Idjit.” Bobby muttered under his breath,  
“So, what’s the story?” Inquired Sam, “Why’d her husband kill her?”  
“She was seein’ another man. He found out, drove him mad. Can’t blame her, mind you; he was abusive and it was in a time when nobody cared about that sorta thin’.”  
Sam and Dean both looked slightly disgusted.  
“If she had such a crap life,” began Dean, “Do we really need to spoil her fun now?”  
“She’s a poltergeist, and she’s killed five people.”  
“Holy crap, those actually exist. Sorry, yeah, five dead people. Back to work.”  
Sam laughed.  
“Right, you two, she’s buried under the elm tree in the garden, there are shovels in the car, you can dig her up.”  
“What?! I thought this’d be shooting stuff and explosions!” Exclaimed Dean,  
“It is. I do the shooting; you boys can dig up the corpse.”  
“Sam’ll do it.”  
“Hey!”  
“You’ll both do it. Now get digging.”

 

They dug for hours, by the time they’d reached the corpse, night had fallen.  
“Eww, this is disgusting.” Dean grimaced. Bobby stood beside them, shotgun ready. Good thing, really - because, all of a sudden, there she was. But she didn’t look beautiful anymore. She looked hollowed and hideous, and there was red hot anger in her eyes. Bobby shot at her and she dispersed as quickly as she’d appeared.  
“Was that it?”  
“No. Dean, grab a shot gun, Sam, keep digging until all of her is out in the open.”  
“Okay,” Sam continued digging, and Dean jumped at the chance to shoot something.  
Suddenly, she was back, wailing, strips of her flesh were hanging off her face. _Her husband must’ve enjoyed killing her just a little too much._ She quickly sped up and was rushing towards Dean when he took a shot and she once again dispersed.  
“Man, this is awesome.”  
“Dean, she was murdered by her abusive husband.” Bobby reminded his son,  
“I know, but it’s still awesome.” Dean grinned as he scanned the area.  
“Sam, how’s it going?” Bobby asked his other son,  
“Alright, I just haven't had much practice at digging up corpses.” He grunted in response.  
“Well keep going, she’ll come back.” And right on queue, she reappeared, this time behind Sam, and with a flick of her wrist, he was half way across the garden.  
“Hey, that’s my brother!” Dean roared and shot again, he felt the kick of the gun firing backlash on him. She disappeared another time.  
Meanwhile, Bobby was in the grave furiously digging.  “Sam, are you okay?” Shouted Dean, over his shoulder, not breaking eye contact with the spot she’d last been.  
Sam groaned in response. _Well, at least he’s alive._  
She reappeared several times, and Dean shot her down each time. Then, he saw something in the corner of his eye, she was behind him. He swung round and fired once more, except this time, she didn’t go.  
“Bobby,” growled Dean, as she advanced upon him, “I’m outta amo. Bobby, hurry up!”  
And, punctual as ever, Bobby dropped the lighter on the corpse and the figure went up in flames.  
“Well done, boys.”  
Sam was sat up, nursing a bust knee. When all of sudden, the ghost reappeared behind him.  
“Sam!” Shouted Bobby, and he grabbed a shotgun, and fired at the bitch that was trying to kill his son. She dispersed again. _Hang on._  
“Bobby, that was the husband!” Yelled Dean,  
“I know!”  
“But surely he died in prison.”  
“He did! There must be something in the house binding him here. That’d explain why there were so many deaths, I mean, she wasn’t a maniac when she was alive, maybe she wasn’t when she was dead either. Maybe it was him all along. So wha’s binding him here?”  
Realisation hit Sam like a brick wall, “Bobby, the painting!”  
Bobby ran up the steps towards the house, but was blocked by the ghost of the poor woman’s dead husband. He was thrown backwards and flopped unconscious against a shed.  
“Dean, you’re not gonna get past him and then back out alive, alone.” Yelled Sam, from his invalid’s position on the grass. “You’re gonna have to burn the whole house down.”  
Oh crap.  
“Alright.” Resigning himself to arsonary, Dean grabbed the bottle of gasoline, and poured it over as much of the wooden exterior of the house as would last. He picked up the lighter from the side of the burning grave, lit a fallen branch from the elm, under which the woman was buried, and threw the burning mishap torch inside the house, which gradually began to burn.  
Dean sprinted over to his brother, “Sammy, you okay? Are you hurt?”  
“I’m okay, it’s just my knee. Go check Bobby’s okay." Dean sat with the man until he came to, watching the building burn as Sam struggled across the grass to sit with his brother and his father.  
Once Sam was able to limp to the impala (with Dean's aid) and Bobby was fully awake, and they were driving away, Bobby posed the most important question:  
“So, enough shooting stuff an’ explosions?”  
“Hell yeah.” Laughed Dean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, hope you liked it. I'm gonna take my time a little with destiel, cause I rushed into Sam and Jess a bit (which I'm fine with) but I want destiel to be a bit more complicated. Thanks so much for reading. Any feedback would be soooo welcome so feel free to kudos and comment!


	8. Heaven's Got a Plan For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some Cas angst, quite a lot of couplely stuff, and the introduction of a pre-apocalyptic foe...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHH!!! I'm so sorry this took so long for me to get round to writing. I've been feeling super unmotivated, but I'm gonna really try and do at least a chapter a week from now on!  
> Also, I apologise for the shitty title. It's really hard thinking of chapter titles.  
> Anyway, here is the long awaited eighth chapter.  
> Hope you enjoy it. Please Kudos and Bookmark and Subscribe and Comment and Share it around if you enjoy it. Any feedback is really appreciated. But don't if you don't like it cause that's morally wrong. (Just quoting Dan for y'all!)  
> Oh, and another thing: you may've noticed I've dropped a couple of normal supernatural references in my work, and a couple of other fandom references (394). This chapter has a Merlin reference. Metaphorical gold star to anyone who finds it. (I would give you a literal gold star, but, you know...)  
> Right, Imma go and let you all enjoy the chapter!

The next few weeks went by in a similar fashion. Pretty soon, the boys and Bobby had banished two more ghosts, purged a six-vamp nest, and even taken down a wendigo. Ellen and Jo had come on the vamp and wendigo hunt, Jess had stayed at Bobby’s apparently oblivious to it all. And Castiel said he didn’t want to get in the way and get them all killed. However, what they didn’t know was that he was terrified of being alone with Dean. He wasn’t scared of Dean - how could he be? Dean was never mean to him; he was terrified of what he’d do if he was left alone with Dean. He was terrified of drowning in those candy-apple eyes, that he’d go mad looking at those freckles, that he’d cut himself on that jawline. He was terrified he’d fall in love with Dean. He was terrified that it was already too late.  
“Hey, Cas!” Castiel spun round, horrorstruck that he might’ve said all his greatest fears out loud, and looked into the beaming face of Jessica Lee Moore. It was a mild October afternoon, and the boys, Bobby, Ellen and Jo were on a hunt. It was just him and Jess at the Singer residence. He and Jess were spending quite a lot of time together these days, they’d grown quite close.  
“Hey Jess, what’s up?”  
“Eh, just bored. What cha doin’?”  
“Thinking.”  
“About…?”  
“Someone.”  
“Oooo, is this your lucky lady?”  
“Shut up!” He laughed and shoved her with his elbow, she quickly retaliated with and elbow to the ribs.  
"Oww!"  
“Sorry! Hey, Cas, can I ask you something?” She sat down in the hood of the car, beside Castiel, and leant her head on his shoulder,  
“Hmm,”  
“Where do the boys and Ellen and Jo go when they go out? I know you know cause I’ve seen you and Sam and Dean talking about it.”  
_Oh crap!_ Castiel thought to himself, he didn’t want to lie to Jess. But it wasn’t his place to tell her, Sam needed to do that.  
“Jess, I’m so sorry, I really I am. If it were my place, I would tell you, but that’s Sam’s. He just wants to protect you.”  
Jess sighed in frustration, “Hmph, okay. Well, thank you for not making up some bullshit lie.”  
A moment of silence past and Castiel followed a small bird with his eyes.  
“How come you don’t go with them?”  
Castiel thought for a second about how to word his answer, “Well, what they do is dangerous and I don’t want to get in the way.”  
“Not one of those rough-tough save the world kinda guys, then?”  
Castiel laughed, “No, I’m a doctor, a man of science; not a warrior. And certainly not a world saver.”  
“Oh, I dunno about that. You saved Dean’s life, maybe that’s inadvertently saving the world, if he goes on to save the world.”  
_He is the world._  
“What?”  
“What? No, I didn’t say anything.”  
“Oh. Sorry, must’ve just been the wind.”  
“Jess, if I tell you something, will you promise not to tell anyone? And will you promise not to tell anyone?”  
She straightened up a little as she understood the sincerity and importance of what he was about to say, “Yes, of course.”  
“You know my… ‘lucky lady’, as you so sweetly put it?”  
“Yes,”  
Castiel took a long deep breath and closed his eyes. Waves of anxiety washing over him, crashing at his head, like some wild, relentless beast. He didn’t open his eyes again until he’d said it; “Well, it’s not a lady.”  
Jess smiled and squeezed him close, “Thank you for trusting me.”  
“Is that… normal? I mean, I haven’t had much experience in either field, it’s just… on TV, and books, and couples on the street, it’s always a man and a woman…”  
“Yes, Castiel,” Jess laughed, relieved. “It’s perfectly normal. No matter what anyone tells you, you can love whoever you want to. And whoever you don’t want to; that’s love.”  
That was certainly how Castiel was feeling.  
“There’s more.”  
“Oh?” Questioned Jess,  
“You can’t tell anyone. Especially not Sam and Dean!”  
“I swear.”  
He paused again and was incredibly aware of his heart beating in his chest. He swallowed heavily and took the plunge; “It’s Dean.”  
There was a moment of tension filled silence.  
“Does he know?”  
“No. But you can’t tell him!”  
“I won’t. But… do you know if he’s… into guys, too?”  
“I don’t think so, I don’t know. He’ll flirt with anything in a skirt so probably not.”  
“Loads of people fall in love with other people, regardless of gender.”  
“I just… I can’t tell him. Cause even if he doesn’t love me back in the same way, I can’t lose him. Even if I have to watch him with others- I’ll just- I just… can’t… lose him.”  
Jess smiled sympathetically, “Oh Cas. I understand, I’m so sorry. I can ask Sam, if you- ”  
But she was cut off by Castiel, “No! No, Sam can’t know. He can’t even be suspicious. No one can know.”  
“Okay, Cas, I understand. Your secret’s safe with me.” She smiled up at him, and the tension was immediately lifted.  
However, that was soon changed to shock and horror when a pretty young woman with astonishing dark hair walked into the yard that Castiel and Jess had been talking in. She was shouting for the very man that Castiel yearned for, “Dean? Dean! DEAN!” _What the hell?_ “Oh, for fucks sake.” She muttered to herself. “DEAN!”  
Jess cleared her throat, “Umm, can we help you?”  
The woman looked round and her eyes lit up with recognition when they fell upon Castiel, “Doctor Novak?”  
“Oh my God… Lisa?”  
Jess interrupted, “Lisa? You mean Dean’s- ”  
“Where’s Dean?”  
_Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!_ Why hadn’t he though about Lisa? He’d been too busy falling in love with Dean to remember that Dean was already in love. _But, if Dean was in love, why hadn’t he…?_  
“Where the _hell_  is Dean?!”  
“Umm, he’s out, Lisa.”  
“Oh ‘He’s out’,” She, rather cruelly, mocked. But, then again, Castiel could understand why she was so angry.  
“Lisa, I’m sorry,”  
She laughed, “You’re sorry? You’re _sorry?_ I find out that Dean, my _boyfriend_ \- in case anyone’s forgotten, has been conscious for weeks. _Weeks!_ And do you know how? Because I ring the fucking hospital and some girl in reception tells me he was discharged more than half a friggin’ month ago.”  
Castiel wanted to say something, anything, he could only imagine how awful the last few weeks had been for her. _But if she really cared about him, why did it take her this long to check in on him?_ The thought niggled it’s way into his frontal lobe. _If he even had one,_ he thought. Then, all of a sudden, his consciousness was rushed back to the yard by the purr of engines, and the indignant sheik of one (possibly ex) girlfriend;  
“DEAN! You asshole.”  
As Dean stepped out from the driver’s seat, his brow furred, “Lisa?” Then, a look of realisation seemed to wash over his face, “Oh crap.”  
“Why the fuck did you not ring me to say you’d woken up?”  
“Uh…” Dean searched for an adequate answer, and looked over to Sam, who was stood next to Bobby, Ellen, and Jo as a plea for help,  
“Hi, Lisa,”  
“No, Sam, let Dean answer this.”  
“Lisa, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Look, can we do this inside.”  
“No, Dean. I’m not moving until you tell me.”  
Dean sighed, an internal war was waging within his head, “Okay, but can we at least do this privately?”  
Lisa was crying by now, tears rolling down her cheeks. She sighed. “Yeah, okay.”  
For a second, everyone just stood there stunned in silence, watching the couple. Until Dean coughed and said, “Guys… that’s your cue. Sammy?”  
“Oh, right, yeah. Umm, who wants a beer?”  
“I’ll take one.” Responded Bobby. Everyone slowly shuffled inside, still in a state of shock from the abrupt reappearance of Lisa.  
The party sat around, drinking and discussing the recent events. Almost an hour later, Dean and Lisa came in.  
“This... is Lisa,” began Dean, “Uh, Lisa, this is Bobby - my father, Ellen, Jo - Jo’s Ellen’s daughter, Jess - Sam’s girlfriend, and of course you know Sam and Cas.”  
“Hi,” Lisa looked around sheepishly. She turned to Dean, “I’m gonna get a shower.”  
“Okay, babe. Up the stairs, second door on the left, there’ll be clean towels in the closet.”  
Lisa nodded and walked up the stairs.  
“So, what’s going on?” Sam posed the question that everyone was thinking.  
“I told her the truth - well, most of it - and we’re gonna try and fix things. She’s still pissed but I think, with time, we can fix things.”  
There was a general sigh of relief from around the table. Well, almost. Cas wasn’t relieved. Or glad. He was one step further away from Dean. One whopping great girlfriend sized step away from Dean. Jess grasped and squeezed his hand under the table. She understood.

 

“Hey, Sam, could I have a word with you?”  
“Yeah, sure thing, Jess.”  
Everyone was either cooking or sitting around and talking. Lisa had returned from the shower, and was integrating with the group. She'd quickly made good friends with Jo.  
Jess led Sam up the stairs and into their shared bedroom.  
“What’s up, Jess?”  
Jess was contemplating whether to go through with her plan, she didn’t want a fight, but she needed to know;  
“Where were you today? Where are you every time you go out with Dean, and Bobby, and Ellen and Jo?”  
Sam’s heart dropped. He’d hoped she wouldn’t notice. But what had he been kidding himself: of course she’d notice.  
“We go shopping...?”  
“Oh come on, why do you never have any bags when you come back? Why always you lot? Why does Castiel never go? He said what you do is dangerous. Sam, what the hell do you do?”  
“What else did he tell you?”  
“Nothing! That was all he would tell me. Sam, answer the question!”  
Tears were clouding Sam’s eyes, “Jess, I’m really sorry. But I can’t.”  
“Cas knows! Even Lisa knows, and she’s been her what, five minutes?”  
“I know, but that was Dean’s call, not mine.”  
“Oh, so you don’t trust me?”  
“No! That’s not what I said.” There was hurt in Sam’s eyes.  
“Then what?” Jess was on the verge of tears too,  
“I… I need to protect you?”  
“From what? Are you in trouble with drugs or something?”  
Sam laughed, “No, no, it’s not that.”  
“Then what is it?”  
Sam exhaled, “Jess, I’m really sorry. I - I just… can’t tell you.”  
“That’s not good enough!”  
“Well, what can I do?”  
“You can tell me the truth!” She pleaded,  
“You wouldn’t believe me.”  
“Oh, try me!”  
“I can’t.”  
“Just fucking tell me.”  
The argument was flaring out of control. Both were shouting and crying, neither listening to the other. Until, Sam said the unsayable; “Monster’s are real and we fight them!”  
“What?” Jess was not convinced.  
“There! I’ve said it now. You happy?”  
“Oh for fuck’s sake! I’m out of here.”  
Sam’s heart stopped, “What?” Hurt and shock were lining his eyes, tears pouring out of them.  
“I was only waiting for Dean to get better. And now he’s better. So I’m leaving.”  
She wrenched open the drawer of the dresser and started pulling out dresses and jeans and tops and shoving them in her rucksack.  
“But… Jess… I love you.”  
“Yeah, well, maybe I don’t feel the same way about you.”

 

Downstairs, Dean, Lisa, Cas, Ellen, Jo, and Bobby were all sitting at the table, having a beer and waiting for the food to cook. They could hear shouting from upstairs, and all were trying to make small talk over it, but they kept coming back to the same awkward silence of listening to Sam and Jess argue.  
“So, any plans for tomorrow?” Asked Dean,  
“I’ve got an old jeep to fix.” Replied Bobby.  
“Wow, you’ve actually got some real work.” Dean raised his eyebrows.  
“Shuddup. Idjit.”  
They all laughed, but the laughter was cut short by the sound of heavy footsteps coming down Bobby’s creaky stairs. The footsteps were followed by a pissed looking Sam.  
“Everything okay, Sammy?”  
But Sam didn’t respond to his brother’s concern. He just walked straight out the door and into Bobby’s yard.  
Dean looked towards Bobby, and saw the old man’s grimace. “I’d better go check on him.” Said Dean.  
“Yeah, tha’s probably a good idea.” Replied Bobby.  
Dean stood up, grabbed two beers, and followed in his brother’s footsteps: out the door. He found Sam leaning on the hood of a car, looking at the sunset. Dean went over, sat on the hood, and held out a beer; which Sam took, opened, and took a deep swig of.  
“What’s up?”  
“It’s Jess. I think she just broke up with me.”  
“What’d she say?”  
“She wanted to know what we do when we go hunting.”  
“Why didn’ you just tell her?”  
“I did. After a bit of shouting. But she thought it was crap.”  
“It _is_ crap.”  
Sam laughed half-heartedly. “You know what I mean.”  
“Why don’t you let her come to the next hunt. She can just watch.”  
“I just… wanted to keep things separate.”  
“I don’t think there’s any way of doing that, Sammy.”  
Sam sighed. He just wanted things to be simple.  
“Do you love her?”  
“Yeah.” The tears started welling up, “But I’m not sure if she still loves me.”  
 “Agh, of course she does. Have you seen the way she looks at you?”  
“Since when did you become a love expert?”  
“I’ve always been a love expert!”  
“Have you ever been in love?”  
“I’m in love with Lisa.”  
Sam raised his eyebrows, sceptically. “Really?”  
“Yeah. I think so.”  
“So what’s going on with you two?”  
“I told her about what we do.”  
“I know. How’d she take it?”  
Dean sighed, “She doesn’t believe me.”  
“What?!” Sam’s head spun round to face his brother, “How did you get her to stay, then?”  
“She said she needed proof. So… I taking her on the next hunt.”  
“What? You sure that’s a good idea?”  
“Well, otherwise she’ll leave me.”  
“Uh huh.” They sat in silence for a moment, the sun had almost set. Just the tiniest bit of purple light remain, as a prequel to the stars. “Hey, you tell her about Cas?”  
“No. I didn't see any point. We’re not even sure what he is yet. And she’s not religious so I reckon introducing her to the supernatural and the biblical might just be too much.”  
“Fair play.” Replied Sam.  
“What do you think of this whole angel thing?”  
“Well, we know they’re real; what happened at the hospital proves that. But of course, that’s no guaranty that Cas is one of them.”  
Dean grunted.  
“What?” Sam asked, frowning.  
“I just don’t see how the hospital proves anything. They could’ve just been really jumped up demons.”  
“But what about the wings on the angel that Gabriel killed? And Bobby’s rock salt didn’t work against them.”  
“I dunno! Maybe it’s something we’ve never encountered before!”  
“Yeah, Dean, angels! Look, demons definitely exist, we know that. And that means that Hell exists. And so, logically, Heaven must exist, and therefore, angels.”  
“If angels exist, are we saying that God exists too?”  
“Yeah, maybe.”  
“What about Santa, and unicorns, and the Easter Bunny? Sam, where does the line end?”  
“I… don’t… know. Dean, maybe it doesn’t.”  
Dean sighed scornfully.    
“Look, Dean, can we not talk about this right now?”  
Dean inhaled slowly, “Yeah, I’m sorry, Sammy. What are you gonna do about Jess?”  
“What _can_ I do? I tried to tell her the truth, she thought I was lying.”  
“You _could_ let her come to a hunt, with Lisa. Bobby’s got a ghost hunt lined up, he says it’s pretty straight forward. She won’t get hurt.”  
Sam sniffed. He could’ve blamed this on the cold, but both he and Dean knew it wasn’t due to the weather. “Yeah, that sounds... okay. Thank you.”  
Dean led Sam inside and they were met by Bobby, Cas, Ellen, Jo, and Lisa; all looking a little guilty.  
“Where’s Jess?” Asked Sam, “I need to talk to her - I’m gonna tell her. I was thinking she could go on the hunt that Lisa was gonna go on.”    
“Sam,” responded Bobby,  
“Not now, Bobby. Jess!” Sam shouted up the stairs, “Jess!”  
“ _Sam_ ,”  
“Bobby, I said not now. Jess!”  
“Sam,” Bobby tried once more,  
“ _Jess!_ ”  
“Sam!” Shouted Jo, standing up, “She’s gone!”  
“What?”  
“She left. We tried to make her stay, but she wouldn’t.”  
“No,” frowned Sam, “no, we would’ve seen her leave. JESS!”  
“She went out the back, Sam.” Bobby’s voice sounded dry. “Said she didn’t want to run into you.”  
“Crap!” Exclaimed Sam. Jess had left him, he’d lost her. Just like he’d lost so many people in his life.  
“I gotta go find her!” And Sam left, slamming the door behind him, and grabbing the impala keys on the way out. He was oblivious to Dean’s call behind him.  
“Listen, Bobby,” Ellen said, as the residents of ‘Singer Auto’ tried to understand what’d just happened. “I think Jo and I are gonna go. Emotions and tensions seem pretty high right now, and you could probably all do with some space. Plus, we gotta get back to the roadhouse.”  
Bobby swallowed heavily, “Yeah, okay. Thanks.”

 

Jess walked along the empty road. She had been trying to get someone to pick her up for almost two hours, but no one had. She’d hardly even seen anyone. Just as she was giving up hope, she spotted a shiny silver Mercedes behind her on the road. She dropped her bags, and started crying out and waving her arms frantically. Fortunately, the person driving seemed to be kind, and slowed down, coming to a stop next to her. The window lowered and she saw the man driving. He was black, bald, and wearing a posh suit, to go with his posh car.  
“You need a ride?” He asked. He had a low calming voice.  
“Oh my God, yes please!” Jess replied, grinning with relief at having finally been picked up.  
“You’re welcome to get in.” He responded.  
Jess clambered in and put her bags at her feet.  
“I’m going to the bus station, if that’s okay.”  
“Oh, I know where you’re going.”  
Jess’s heart skipped a beat, and she asked apprehensively, “You do?”  
“Yes,” he replied, very calmly, “and it’s not the bus station.”  
“No! I’m going to the bus station!” Her voice shook with uncertainty.  
“No, you’re not, mud monkey. You’re coming with me.”  
Jess started shouting and screaming, desperately trying to prise the door open.  
All of a sudden, she was no longer in the silver Mercedes, but in a dark, damp, large room. The entire room was made of concrete and she was immediately shivering.  
“How the _hell_ did you do that?”  
Then, there were chains around her hands, feet, and neck. And those chains were attached to a wall.  
“Not hell; heaven. Jessica Lee Moore, you are a very small pawn on a very large board. But you are a very valuable pawn.”  
Jess whimpered, “Why do you want me? What do you want? I don’t have money-”  
The man laughed, “We don’t want your money; only your boyfriend.”  
“Sam?”  
“And his brother.”  
“Why? Who are you?”  
Suddenly, lighting was flashing all around the room. Jess screamed and squeezed her eyes shut. But when she looked up, the shadow of two very large wings were protruding from the man’s back.  
Jess swore under her breath.  
“I am Uriel, Angel of the Lord. Have some time to think about that, mud monkey.”  
He laughed as he left the room. The lightening stopped as the door swung shut behind him, and the heavy darkness engulfed a terrified and sobbing Jess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cool so that was it, lotsa Jess, untimely arrival of Lisa, and another big character is introduced. Please let me know if you enjoyed it, thanks so much for reading!


End file.
